Sweetie Pie's Bakery
by the-littlest-pumpkin
Summary: Future AU fic. Santana is happy living in New York, teaching music at a high school and living right around the corner from her two best friends; Brittany, and Rachel. Then some blonde chick comes to town with her stupid cupcakes of the Gods.
1. The Vacuum

"What the fuck is this?" Santana ducked under the awning of the small shop she knew so well, and pulled her hood down off her head. It was another of the rainy New York days, but she hadn't allowed that to faze her, and diligently carried out her usual morning run without complaint. She pulled her earphones out and took in the sight in front of her; granted, it had been a few weeks since she'd ran this route and last visited, but this was pretty extreme. The coffee shop she stood in front of was usually bright and cheery, if rather vacant, but today was clearly an exception. A big one. The once smart bottle green awning had been rolled up half way and looked tattered, and the large window sticker displaying the shop's name in bright gold letters had been peeled away, leaving nothing but sticky residue on the glass. The usually clean lino-floor was scuffed and marked, covered in a thin layer of dust, and the only familiar sight she saw was that of the cafe's small owner trundling about inside. She stepped forward and knocked her knuckles on the glass, and he came rushing to the door.

"Hey, Santana! Long time, no see. How've you been?" He welcomed her in and she shuddered as she stepped over the threshold

"What's up, Mr Bernstein. I'm clearly better than you are, what the hell happened?" She frowned down at the portly man and he gave a shrug

"Well you know how it is. Business was hardly booming and so...we decided to call it a day!" he walked round behind the countertop to pick up a stack of papers, and it was then that she noticed it had been uprooted from the floor.

"So, you're just leaving? Wow. I mean, you said things weren't going so well but I didn't realise it was this bad. The place looks so...sad." She looked around her with a frown at the blank space. It was only a small place, but usually held a few tables and chairs and some soft furnishings, and as she gazed around she could see the bright spaces where pictures had protected the now-shabby wallpaper from fading in the sunlight.

"Well you know, with a Starbuck's on every corner who needs a poky family-run coffee shop?" _I do_, Santana thought. She hated going to Starbuck's; their hot chocolate was bitter as hell and they charged you a freaking arm to sit on one of their weirdly shaped armchairs. She'd rather sit in and chat to the Bernstein's than have some acne-ridden lemming get her order wrong then write his number on the paper sleeve. Sadly, she was apparently the only one.

"Well...that sucks. So what are you going to do?" she turned back to the man and leaned her forearms on the counter

"Thinking about the wife on vacation, maybe a cruise. Then you know...quiet life. Open a place in the suburbs instead maybe? A little closer to home" she nodded and smiled

"Sounds delightful. Escaping the city."

He nodded "Damn right" and she grinned

"Well, best of luck to you. I promise if I ever move to the suburbs you'll be my first port of call" he nodded his thanks and she waved goodbye as she stepped back out into the rain. She ran the short distance back to her apartment, and couldn't help but feel pretty disappointed; she had grown fond of the couple and their cafe. It would be a shame to not longer hear the stories of their four children, and she would miss updating them on how work was going. She only had a few friends in the city, and familiar welcoming faces were always a comfort.

She rounded the corner and pulled open the door to her apartment building, shrugging her hood down and shaking off the rain as she started to climb the stairs. She was grateful she had stopped for a break at the coffee shop now, as attempting to climb these stairs after her workout would have probably put her in the hospital. The elevator had been broken for almost two weeks, and no one had made any attempt to fix it, despite many complaints to the landlord. She had attempted to carry four bags of groceries up fourteen flights of stairs the other day, and had collapsed on the tenth floor, leaving her bags and returning to get them on a second trip.

She stepped inside the apartment and sighed with disappointment. She didn't know why she should expect it to be tidy; it certainly wasn't when she left, and magic fairies weren't going to do it for her. But she could but hope. Sheet music, plates, food cartons, clothes and books littered nearly every surface of the living room, and her bedroom wasn't much better. She grimaced as she stared around and bit her lip as she thought about the mess. She _had _been wondering what to do with her day off. And it _would_ be a waste to spend it laid around doing nothing. She _should _really sort this mess out instead of lounging in front of the TV or Xbox all day.

Santana sighed before immediately snapping into action. She quickly showered and changed, and then emptied her laundry basket onto her bed. She collected up every scrap of dirty clothing and bundled them all into the washer before grabbing a cloth to wipe down all the sides in her bedroom; she had spilled a glass of juice earlier in the week and it was starting to go sticky. She collected up all of the random crockery that was scattered about and did some mass washing up, before filling two large bags of litter for the trash. Tidying the apartment then morphed into sorting through all of her old clothes and attempting to clear out her wardrobe. This was where Santana met a problem. She had always been a horrific hoarder, and was pretty sure that's why her last girlfriend didn't last long.

Tina had never directly said it was an issue, but when she left a note with the cliché line "It's really not you, it's me" and all of her stuff had been cleared out of Santana's apartment, she guessed there was an underlying issue. She couldn't blame her. Santana _was _kind of a pig, and Tina was almost obsessively clean and tidy, hence they spent most nights at her place. She felt bad for not being too torn up when Tina left, she would miss the company of course, and Tina was a sweet girl, but it wasn't like she had thought they were going all the way or anything. But she supposed that this was one of those times in life where you "turn over a new leaf" or some stupid phrase; so she accepted it and a single one-night-stand later, she had moved on.

New job, new found singledom, and now she was embracing a new clean and tidy way of living. In fact, this cleaning stuff was so much easier than everyone claimed it to be. Drama queens. She was almost enjoying herself. "Santana Lopez: Domestic Goddess" had a nice ring to it. Maybe while she was at it she could work out how to use that vacuum cleaner she'd had for almost half a year and still not worked out how to use. She _had _tried, a few times. Once. And failed miserably. But _now _she was Santana Lopez: Domestic Goddess. And any domestic goddess could use a freaking vacuum. She dragged it out of the cupboard and looked it up and down. Simple, it was just like any other vacuum cleaner. Apart from that tubey bit there. But that probably wasn't necessary yet. And that weird brush thing. And that corrugated twisty thing, what the hell was that for? Okay, well she could ignore that bit for now. She nodded and sank to her knees, unravelling the length of cable from where it was looped, and crawled across to the plug socket, flicking the switch as she did so.

The device whooshed to life and a deafening grinding noise filled the room. She squealed and immediately ripped the plug from the wall. Okay, so...that...happened. She plugged it back in, preparing herself for the din, and stood up, taking the handle of the machine and starting to push. It immediately keeled over sideways and started to pull the leg of her jeans into the bottom. Santana screamed again, and started pushing any button she could find for the off switch. There was a loud thunk and the vacuum suddenly erupted, spewing dust and lint all over the floor. She coughed and spluttered, leaping backwards as her bare feet got covered, and ripped the plug from the wall once again, glaring down at this devil-machine with hatred.

She pulled it back up so it was stood upright, and retreated with her arms against her chest, her mouth twisting in thought as she stared down at the mess on the floor. Maybe "Domestic Goddess" was a little out of reach right now. Santana sighed heavily and gave in, pulling her phone from her pocket, and the voice at the other end answered after only a few rings, "Hello?"

"Hey Hobbit. Listen, you have a vacuum right?"

"Yes..." She drew the word out in anticipation, frowning "Why?"

"Well mine's broken, and I need-"

"You have a vacuum?" the girl sounded sceptical

"-you to come and help me, there's shit _all_ over the floor-"

"I didn't even know you _owned _a vacuum"

"YOU WOULDN'T THINK SO BY THE STATE OF HER PLACE!" A voice shouted in the background

"-and you have to come clean it up for me. And yes I own a vacuum. Am I on speaker? Coz you can tell Brittany I heard that, and the invite is _not_ extended to her" she kicked the dust off her feet and grimaced as she sat down on the sofa

"Okay, so let me get this straight. Contrary to popular opinion, you _do _have a vacuum. Something possessed you to attempt to actually_ use_ it for the first time in your life, and it's _broken_?" the sceptical tone was back

"Well no. I know that it must work, seeing as its SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF ME."

"You have rage issues." Brittany shouted again

"So now you need me to come and help you clean up the mess?" Rachel snorted down the phone as Santana grunted resignedly "Wow. Real badass, there, San. Not spoken to us in weeks and now you come crawling back." She sighed "Okay fine, let me finish eating and we'll be right over."

"I've been really busy! Thanks. BUT DON'T BRING BRITTANY IF SHE'S GONNA BE A LITTLE BITCH" she shouted, and heard the girl giggling at the other end of the phone before Rachel hung up. She stood up again and stared around. She had to admit, everyone was right. Her apartment _did _look so much better now that it was clean and tidy. Apart from the corner where it looked like a vacuum-shaped world war two bomber had come down in flames. But if she faced the other way it looked great.

Rachel appeared less than half an hour later, with Brittany in tow, and Santana rolled her eyes when she saw her "I knew you'd come too, just to mock me"

"You're damn right. By the way why do you live so high up? Rachel nearly had a stroke by the eighth floor. Woah, did you hire someone to do this?" They stood and took in the sight of the tidy apartment

Rachel narrowed her eyes at Santana "What's happened?"

Santana frowned "Nothing"

"Yes there has. You never clean. You said cleaning is for orphans and maids. What happened?"

"Tina broke up with me. Don't freak out, it's not a big deal! It was like, a couple of weeks ago, she left a note with "blah blah it's not you it's me" so it clearly wasn't her. Anyway, I slept with some ginger chick and I'm over it. I saw her on my way back from work the other day and we're fine, it's all over and I'm good." Rachel moved to place a comforting hand on Santana's shoulder and she slapped it away "Please don't touch me. Trust me, I'm okay with it, it's not like we were gonna get married and have lots of little lesbo babies or something. But I decided enough was enough and I needed to clear out this place. New job, newly single, new clean apartment, you know? And then this monstrocity happened."

Brittany giggled as Rachel stepped over to the vacuum, crouching down on her haunches to look at it with a frown, "So, how is the job anyway?" Brittany jumped onto the couch, settling her self cross-legged and grinning up at the brunette

"It's pretty good, actually. I mean, obviously term just started so I don't really know the kids that well yet but they all seem...okay."

"No trouble-makers?" Brittany quirked an eyebrow at Santana and she rolled her eyes and she perched on the arm of the couch

"Yeah, all the delinquent kids take music. No, there's the occasional blabbermouth but let's face it, no one can be as bad as Berry. And if any tries to backchat me I just tear them down."

"Aren't you supposed to be nice to them?" Rachel chimed in from the corner, where she was plugging the vacuum back into the wall after pressing some buttons and adjusting the settings. "After all, they're young and incredibly susceptible to criticisms and negative attitudes you know"

"You're a negative attitude."

"See, that's why I work with adults. No one can accuse me of, like, poisoning their minds or something" Brittany giggled and Santana slid down onto the sofa next to her, crossing her ankles on the now bare coffee table in front of her, lolling her head to the side to watch the shorter girl in the corner.

Rachel flicked the switch at the socket and tilted the vacuum back, flicking the bottom down to rest on the floor, and cleaning up the mess within minutes. Santana's lip curled and she frowned. Rachel flicked the machine off with a flourish and grinned smugly at Santana "And that's how it's done" she held up a finger pistol and blew it before placing her hand in her pocket, and Santana grimaced

"You make me want to hurl"

"You're welcome, I'm so glad you appreciate the effort I went to, to save you from the big, scary, grown-up world of domesticity" Rachel deadpanned, before bundling the vacuum back into the cupboard, and crossing to join the girls

"Oh, what effort? You were probably just stuffing your face with some weird rabbit food anyway"

"Yeah, to be fair, Rach, we weren't exactly busy" Brittany smirked and Rachel looked offended

"Speak for yourself, while you were-"

"Oh give it a rest!" Santana silenced her with a wave of her hand and Rachel slumped down in the armchair next to her, pouting with her arms tightly folded. They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching some girl on America's Next Top Model crying about how she _wanted this so much_. They all snickered, and Santana gave a snort of derision before turning her attention to the window, where she saw that it had grown dark, and she frowned "Hey, what time is it?"

Brittany fiddled with the remote before replying, "Nearly five thirty"

"Holy shit. I can't believe how long it took me to clean up this place" Santana pulled a satisfied face as she gazed around at her handiwork

"Yup. You're _that_ disgusting" Rachel nodded, eyes never leaving the TV

"Whatever. I'm starving, you wanna order in?"

"Ooh yeah. Chinese?" Brittany crossed to the open plan kitchen when the two brunette's shrugged, and pulled a menu from a stack on top of the microwave, "You know, I kinda like it here now that it's all organised and I'm not afraid I'll get some sort of illness-"

"Or Tetanus" Rachel grunted

"-or Tetanus"

"Or Lime's Disease"

"-or Lime's Disease"

"Or-"

"Okay I get it! It's clean now, so shut your pie hole, Berry." They handed the menu round, Rachel inspecting it closely, surprisingly impressed at the vegan options, before they all decided and Santana rang the number and ordered.

"What's on tonight, because I am _not_ watching Bianca and Sheryl scream at each other about "yo bizness" all night" Rachel held out her hands and Brittany threw the remote over, laughing when the shorter girl flinched and covered her face with her hands. Santana rolled her eyes, and Rachel flicked through the channels.

Pretty productive day, Santana thought.


	2. Film Night

"_So, how did you meet this chick anyway?" Santana and Rachel were walking through the streets on a warm summer night, and the sun had not yet set over the city, basking them in a warm orange glow. They had just said goodbye to Brittany, who had gone the other direction when they parted outside the bar, and were walking back to their neighbourhood_

"_Well she's the choreographer of the show"_

"_Rach, you're in Rent." She smirked "It's just __a bunch of freeloading assholes clutching their chests and being dramatic, what choreography is there? " She _was_ proud of Rachel for landing the role of Mimi in the off-broadway production, but that didn't mean she didn't still hate Rent._

"_They're not fre__eloaders, they're bohemians!" Santana snorted and Rachel frowned "And there's the tango Maureen, there's Le Vie Boheme; they both have dancing, so does I'll Cover You, and Mimi is a dancer. Besides, she's an amazing choreographer _and _dancer, and she's pre__tty cool, don't you think?"_

"_Yeah, she's awesome. Really cool…" She nodded and trailed off, and there was a short pause "So are you hot for her or what?"_

"_What? What are you talking about?" They paused at an ice-cream vendor and ordered one each, and Santana explained as they waited_

"_Well, she's clearly bi. So, are you hot for her? Coz like, you're kind of gushing right now, and let's face it, Rent's a pretty gay musical. And she's the hot dance teacher. And she's choreographing you're big lesbo dance scene"_

"_How many times have I told you, I'm not playing either of the lesbians? I'm Mimi!" Rachel handed over the money and he her hand out for the change as Santana rolled her eyes_

"_And how many times have I told _you_ that I've only seen it once and don__'t know who that is?"_

"_She's the dancer addict who falls for Roger!" They stepped away and continued to wander through the streets_

"_See! Dancer. So you___are_ working with her. And isn't Mimi a stripper? So you're dancing with her half-naked." Santana po__inted a finger in the shorter girl's face with a smug expression._

_Rachel sighed heavily, rolling her eyes "To answer your question, _no_ I'm not 'hot for her'. Just because you think you live in The L Word, doesn't mean everyone you know is secretly gay. B__esides, Tom, the guy playing Mark, is really hot. And so funny. And he's really sweet"_

"_Oh Jesus, you really weren't gushing, were you? I wanna hurl"_

"_Nice. But yeah anyway, Brittany's looking for a place to stay during rehearsals so I offered her Merc__edes' old room." She shrugged and took another bite "It'll help her out and make the rent __**so **__much easier"_

"_Ironic. So you're going to be living with her?"_

"_For now" she nodded_

"_You've only known her like a week, hope she doesn't kill you in your sleep" Santana stared at Rachel with wide eyes and the girl snickered_

"_Well, she certainly looks the type don't you think?" Rachel deadpanned and Santana chuckled_

"_Well that's cool. She seems nice." She shrugged._

_Santana had met Rachel during their last year of college. Rachel was studying at NYADA, and Santana was studying music at NYU. She was starting to get low on cash, and had resorted to playing the piano for local amateur productions, and this particular job was for Cabaret, where Rachel was playing a chorus girl. They didn't really talk much during the rehearsals at all, but when the bitch playing Sally Bowles dropped out on only the second night, Rachel stepped in as her understudy. They spent a few hours going over the parts with the director and then the two of them went to lunch. They had been friends ever since._

_They walked the rest of the way in silence, and reached the door of Santana's shabby apartment building within minutes._

"_Hey, you wanna come in and watch a film or something?" Santana gestured up to the apartment and Rachel smiled_

"_Yeah sounds good"_

-ooOoo-

That was almost a year ago.

It was a few days since the vacuum debacle, and as Santana sat in the apartment of her two best friends, she contemplated their friendship. Since meeting Brittany they had both graduated, Rachel had hooked up with dreamy Tom (who had then ironically cheated on her with the actress playing Maureen), Brittany had become a permanent fixture in Rachel's apartment and their film nights, Rachel and Brittany had helped Santana move to a less drug-addled apartment building, and Brittany's short-lived relationships, with boys_ and_ girls, had come and gone.

She was now best friends with them. Two of the most beautiful, talented girls in New York. And yet there were no romantic implications. She hadn't tried it on with either of them, ever. That was unlike her. She was almost ashamed of herself. It wasn't like she hadn't thought about it; especially with Brittany. She liked blondes. Rachel was sweet and dependable, but too straight and short and…Rachel. And Brittany was awesome and hilariously goofy, but just too…Brittany. She couldn't really give a reason why she wasn't attracted to either them, but was glad she didn't. There had never been any kind of confusing issues between any of them, and that was rare in friendships these days.

"Rach, when are you feeding me? I'm dying over here" She whined from the breakfast bar

"I'm making dinner now, and no way are you snacking before then" Just as Santana was about to give a bitchy retort, the door flew open and the blonde bustled in

"RACHEL, CALL SANTANA, ITS AN EMERGENCY!" the blonde whined. Her usually bouncy shoulders were slumped and she was pouting with a heavy scowl. She immediately flopped over the arm of the couch, lying face down in a sofa cushion, and Rachel and Santana shared an alarmed glance, before the taller brunette crossed to the door and pushed it closed, before perching on the edge of the coffee table.

"Hey. Britts? I'm here, what's up?"

"Oh, hey." Her voice was bleak, and still muffled by the cushion, so Santana leaned forward to pull on her shoulder and she rolled on her back, pouting at Santana

"What's up, sweetie?" Rachel dried her hands on a tea towel and crossed to the sofa, placing her hands on the back and looking down at Brittany

"There's this girl." The blonde grabbed a couch cushion to hug to her chest, and kicked off her hi-top sneakers, legs still hanging over the arm of the sofa

"So? I thought you weren't into girls anymore?" Santana frowned

"SO DID I! But she's different"

"Different how?" the shorter brunette tilted her to the side sympathetically, "Who is she?"

"She's an angel"

"Okay…what's she like?"

"She's like perfection-"

"Brittany." Santana interrupted, growing exasperated, "Tell us about her. Who is she?"

"Okay, she's called Jess" she sat up and swung round, resting her feet on the table next to Santana, and Rachel returned to the kitchen to prepare dinner, "She's one of the other dancers. There are six of us, and she's like…the best. She's amazing."

"This is for that music video right, not in the show you're choreographing?"

Brittany nodded with a grin "She danced on tour with _Beyonce! _ She's _that _good! And _so _pretty. She has like, short wavy-ish brown hair, and it's always up in this messy bun and she smiles _all _the time, like seriously." She gesticulated wildly, and while she was talking Santana raised her eyebrows, standing and going to the kitchen to help Rachel. The blonde spun round to kneel up and face them, resting her arms and head on the back of the couch "And she's just_ so_ cute. Like, everyone else was just the average bitchy dancer, but she's _really _nice. And she offered me a drink when I ran out. Like, she's _so _nice. And like, she just looks effortless and scruffy-sexy _all _the time! But she still looks beautiful! _And _she can sing. Really well. She's just perfection. And she's British! But apparently they don't all talk like on TV. She didn't say 'tally-ho' once. But her voice is like…what's that word? Like, it's all flowy and laid-back but sexy and raspy but still cute"

"Melodic?" Rachel called from the kitchen

"Yes! Melodic. It's _melodic. _She's amazing." A dreamy look came across her face and Santana grimaced.

"Ew. Rach she looks all…ew." She prodded the smaller girl and Rachel rolled her eyes, ignoring her "Make her stop. She's freaking me out. DEAD KITTENS!"

Brittany sniggered before sighing heavily

"So is she into girls?" Santana continued

"I don't know. Probably not, the hot ones never are-"

"Hey!" Santana protested and Rachel gave a mocking laugh

"-at the end of rehearsal I was worried because this guy appeared, but then he was checking out Mike, one of the male dancers, so he was clearly gay. But I still don't know" she sighed again, pouting,

Santana wandered over with a sympathetic smile, stroking the girl's hair as she spoke "Well, maybe you should ask her out? Find out?"

"Nooooo. No I couldn't!" Brittany stared up at her, aghast

"Why?" she raised an eyebrow

"Are you kidding? Did you not _hear_ me describing her? She's perfect. She'd laugh in my face. Well, she_ would_, but she'd probably be too nice. It would just be horrible and awkward"

"I've never seen you this smitten before. But I agree with Santana, ask her out! I mean, even if she says no, you'll only be working with her for like a week" the smaller girl shrugged, tasting the food before starting to serve it

"No! The dance world is really small, everyone knows each other and I'll probably end up working with her again, and she'd just be like 'Oh my God it's that gay girl who asked me out' and everyone would laugh at me, and it'd be weird and I'd cry." Santana chuckled, shaking her head with her eyebrows raised

"Well, see if you can find out if she's a lady-lover, and then hope she asks you out?" Santana shrugged but Brittany snorted

"Ha! Like she'd ever ask me out. She probably isn't even single either way, how could she be? She is _beautiful. _ But me? I'm gonna like, die alone, surrounded by fifty cats, all called the same name, but I'll be convinced they're all different, and no-one will know I'm dead until like, a month later, and they'll have all eaten my face"

"Nice. Well, either stop being so negative or do something about it." Rachel insisted and Brittany frowned at the put-down, but the shortest girl just smiled sweetly "Dinner's ready" and the blonde dragged her feet over to the breakfast bar, slumping down next to Santana.

They ate for a while before Santana broke the silence "Oh my God, did I tell you about the Bernsteins?"

Rachel frowned "No…what's up? Oh my God, it's not Jacob is it? They told me he was being bullied at school, is he okay?"

"No, everyone's fine!" she waved a hand, "But they're not there anymore. They had to shut the place down because they couldn't afford to stay open"

"No way! They do the best hot chocolate." Brittany pouted "God, this is the worst day ever!"

"I know, right? It's so sad; and the place was all empty, it was depressing as hell." Santana shook her head as she finished her meal

"So who's there now?" Rachel leaned her chin on her hand, frowning

"No idea" the Latina shook her head, "I haven't been by since."

"Well it won't take long; it's in a pretty good spot." Brittany replied as she stood, collecting the plates "So what are the Bernstein's doing now?"

"Quiet life in the suburbs, I guess. Mr B didn't seem _too _cut up about it; I guess he sees it more like retiring, a chance to get out of the city" Santana shrugged

"I can't blame him." Rachel chuckled and they slumped over to the sofa, Brittany grabbing a bottle of wine as they did so

"Oh, please. I don't know why you're complaining, you love this city." The blonde giggled, placing three glasses and the bottle on the coffee table

"Yeah," Santana chimed in, as she leaned forwards to serve it "Spare a thought to us born and bred country girls, living in the wild hustle and bustle of the big city"

"Oh please, California and Ohio? Hardly the outback" Rachel shot back, accepting a glass from Santana and curling her legs up underneath her, "What are we watching tonight anyway?" she asked Brittany

"Not my choice," she shrugged, leaning back and taking a sip of her wine "its Santana's night" she looked over at the Latina, who was rifling through her bag

"Oh God…" Rachel winced in anticipation and Santana pulled out two boxes

"Okay, Jennifer's Body or Imagine Me and You?" she grinned smugly

"Jennifer's Body; because, just, hot girls everywhere!" Brittany shouted

"Two lesbian movies; very subtle Santana" Rachel rolled her eyes and sighed

"You made me watch Dear John. And it sucked. The tagline for that film should have been 'Broody Cahnning Tatum. Amanda Seyfried girl is a total bitch and ditches him while he's at war. More shit stuff happens. No happy ending' I wanted to open a vein by the end of it."

"Oh, as opposed to Jennifer's Body? Everyone loves _that_ well-known fairy tale ending; the prince has his throat eaten out

"Heh, you said 'eaten out'" Santana grinned

"-and then the princess lives happily ever after in the asylum" the brunettes both rolled their eyes, glaring at each other

"She kisses Megan Fox, why are you arguing?" Brittany threw her hands up before jabbing a finger at Rachel "If you don't shut your mouth and stop slowing down this process, I will put you on the top shelf of the closet, and you can't climb down yourself!"

Rachel glared and muttered about 'unfair ganging up' as Santana leaned forward to high-five Brittany, before kneeling down to put the disc in with a smug grin.

"You guys are perverts" Rachel rolled her eyes

"Damn straight" Brittany winked

"Or not!" Santana grinned, and the two girls laughed, even raising a reluctant smile from Rachel.

"Well next week's my choice, and guess what?" Rachel smiled sweetly "I'm pulling out all the stops and we're watching Funny Girl!"

The other two groaned and Santana sighed and gazed at Brittany with a pout "Next week we're gonna need more wine."


	3. The Date

"Miss Lopez, it's my birthday tomorrow" she raised an eyebrow at the gangly boy sat at the piano

"Oh really? How old are you gonna be?" she smiled over at him from her position at the desk. It was last period on Tuesday, but already this was turning out to be a long week. She did, however, enjoy teaching this class. They were all fairly well-behaved students, some extremely talented and intelligent, and they kept her entertained; especially Jeremy, the birthday boy.

"Sixteen" he grinned, tinkling away at the piano. Students were scattered across the room with various instruments and, mostly working on their compositions or duet pieces.

"Congratulations, you still won't be legally old enough to do anything fun." She dead-panned, frowning down at the papers she was grading, and he nodded glumly

"What are you getting me? I'd like a new TV." He said seriously, nodding thoughtfully

"How about the gift of disappointment?" She smiled sweetly and he laughed, "And if you don't finish your second verse by the end of today; extra homework"

He shook his head and carried on with his work, and she thought to herself; first birthday of the year. When she was at school, they had an art teacher that always gave birthday cards out, and she had liked that. Maybe she could do something similar for her students, provided she knew in advance? As she mulled over the idea, the bell rang, and the students all started to grab their things and file out, some calling their goodbyes as they left. Santana sorted some books and work, locking it all away in the cupboard before grabbing a file of another class' work and heading out of the school.

She took the Subway and started to walk back to her apartment, thinking about Jeremy and her classes tomorrow. As she turned a corner, something unfamiliar caught her eye. The Bernstein's café had been completely transformed. The bottle green front had been painted a pale lime green, the canopy had been replaced by an orange and white striped awning with a pale green trim, and the stickers on the window and door showed a large orange cupcake, and the words Sweetie-Pie's Bakery were wrote above and beneath it in bright green letters. _Well that was nice and…garish _Santana thought as she crossed the street to look through the window. She had to admit, it _did _look busier than the Bernstein's café ever did, although at a second glance, there were only a few people sat at a table inside, and a man waiting at the counter. She pushed the door open to step out of the cold, gazing around the interior as she did so. There were a few bright white tables, with orange or lime green chairs, and the glass counter was filled with a huge assortment of cupcakes.

"Hey!" a bright voice came from behind her, alarming her slightly, and Santana looked over her shoulder with a bemused expression. A girl around Santana's age, with short, choppy blonde hair was stood gazing at her with a wide grin, carrying a tray of bright purple cakes.

Santana couldn't help but stare at her wide-eyed with a small, bemused but polite, smile "…Hi."

The girl stepped behind the counter and placed one of the purple cupcakes in an orange and white striped card box, passing it over to the man with a smile, "Here you go, sir, thank you. So can I help you?" she turned the 100-watt grin on Santana again, who tried to refrain from rolling her eyes

"Just looking" she deadpanned, willing the girl to leave her alone, and after a few minutes of looking through the counter, she met the blonde's eyes awkwardly, "So, you own this place?" she asked coldly, raising an eyebrow.

The girl's smile faltered for a second before she replied "Yeah, it's my first business, I've been open two days now, and it's going well so far. I'm Quinn by the way" she grinned again and Santana nodded awkwardly and there was a pause. The girl didn't look away

"…Okay." Santana looked down again and one of the decorated cupcakes caught her eye, "So, do you make the same cupcakes every day?"

"It depends how many I have left over at the end of the day and how fresh they are. The generic ones are in every day, but the more detailed designs just depend on how I feel." she shrugged, still beaming. Seriously, what was wrong with her face? Did she ever _not _smile? Santana made it her mission to make the girl cry "Although I don't mind taking requests for certain batches, and for a little extra I do specific details and decoration"

"Okay cool. So what time do you open?" she refused to smile back at the blonde, who battled on cheerily regardless

"Well we officially open up at 9am, but I'll be out the back from around half 6 usually. So if you needed something early morning I'd probably be here"

"Okay good. I need that one at around 7.15" she pointed to the one she'd had her eye on. It was a chocolate cupcake with bright white swirled frosting and music notes scattered across the top in black icing

"Ah, good choice; that one is $2.95. Any specific extra details?" she jotted down the details on a pad by the till, and looked up through her lashes at Santana, as the brunette bit her lip in thought

"Uh….yeah, can I have the number 16 on it?" she reached into her bag for her purse

"Sure can, that'll make it $3.25 then. Anything for you?" she beamed again

"No thanks, I'm sweet enough." She turned and headed for the door "See you, S_weetie-pie_" she said sarcastically as she swung the door open

"See you tomorrow!" Quinn waved cheerily and Santana grimaced once she was out of eyesight.

-ooOoo-

She rang the doorbell of the bakery at 7.10 the next day. It was a sunny day, and Santana was in a fairly good mood. She gazed around the shop interior as Quinn went to the kitchen to collect the cake. The blonde appeared a few moments later, and Santana had to admit; it _was _perfect. She couldn't resist a small smile as Quinn placed it gently in one of the brightly striped boxes and tied it with some string.

"And uh, can I get one of those… mini lemon ones too?" she pointed into the case and the other girl pulled one out, handing it to Santana across the counter

"Hope it's not too bitter. That's $4.95 altogether" Quinn gave her a sweet smile, and Santana couldn't stop her jaw from dropping slightly, before she handed the money over with a slight smirk and a raised eyebrow.

She was impressed at the girl's comeback; maybe she wasn't _all _sweetness and light, she though as she headed towards the tube station, biting into her cupcake. _Jesus_, that was good. Damn it, that girl had _skills_. Ugh. She still wanted to wipe the grin off her face, and was still bitter that she had taken over the Bernsteins' place, but that perky blonde could bake like a _God_. Ugh.

-ooOoo-

Jeremy clearly agreed, as he had devoured the cupcake in minutes once Santana had told him she would make an exception to the No Eating in Class rule. She was now on her way back to her apartment; where she couldn't wait to sink into a hot bath. After first period with Jeremy's class, it had been a very long, very bad, day. And to top it all off, a tramp had sat next to her on the subway home and insisted on leaning as close to her as possible, and now she smelt like homelessness. She was not impressed.

After a long bath, she heated a pizza in the oven and settled herself on the sofa with the folder of work she had brought home the day before, a box set of Friends playing on the TV in the background. When she finished, she crossed to the piano to play through her class' compositions, making corrections and suggestions as she went along. When she finished the last one, she played through a few songs she knew by heart, singing softly, before furiously belting out a long Disney medley to cheer herself up. It was nearly eleven by the time she had finished, so she set out an outfit and sorted her work for the next day, and slumped into bed, exhausted.

The rest of the week passed uneventfully, and she found herself looking forward to going for drinks with Brittany and Rachel after work on Friday. They were supposed to meet in the usual bar, a fairly smart but inexpensive place near their neighbourhood, and Santana arrived first. She found a table by the window and ordered a drink while she waited. Ten minutes late. She pulled out her phone

**Where the hell are you? S**

**I just finished rehearsals, on subway. Meeting Britt at next stop. R xx**

She sighed heavily. Another ten minutes passed and she dialled Rachel's number, and the girl answered almost immediately "Hey, Thing 1, Thing 2, where the hells are you?"

"I'm at the subway station, Brittany hasn't showed up."

"She definitely said she was coming, right?" Santana sighed

"Yeah, they're not filming til next week, it's last day of rehearsal today and she's supposedly coming. I'm just going to leave without her"

"Okay well, I'm gonna bombard her with texts. See you" she hung up without waiting for a reply and tapped out a few texts to Brittany, sending them in quick succession. Brittany finally replied ten minutes later, just as Rachel stepped through the door looking flustered, "Hey, she just replied!"

"Oh, what did she say, she ok?" Rachel pulled her coat off and ordered a drink from the passing waiter, flashing him a bright smile as she did so

"Oooohhhh, oh my god! She's out with that chick!" Santana stared at Rachel, mouth open with delight

"Jess? No way, lemme see!" the shorter girl slid into the chair next to her and made a grab for the phone,

**Jess wanted to go for food. Couldn't say no to the goddess. Catch you next time ;D B x**

"Reply! Reply!" Rachel clapped her hands together in glee, and Santana rolled her eyes

"I am, I've said 'Ooh a date? Sexy times with dancer girl?' and she…just replied. 'No, it's not a date, we were just hungry after rehearsal!'" she read out

"Mmhm. Well…certainly _sounds _like a date" Rachel raised her eyebrows

Santana grinned "She just sent another" she laughed and showed Rachel the phone

**Oh my god, is it a date? Should I pay? I'm wearing sweats, this CAN'T be our first date!**

"Tell her she may not have a choice." She passed the phone back to Santana "And just wait until the check comes, if Jess insists on paying; it's date."

"Although, Britts can also offer to pay. If Jess lets her, it's also a date" Santana pointed out

"True. If she insists they go halves; not a date." She shook her head

"Okay, we have a reply. Oh, they're at the restaurant now. And she says we'd both better be at your place tonight for evening analysis. Sounds good to me" she shrugged and Rachel nodded, already excited at the prospect.

-ooOoo-

"Oh my God, it was totally a date!" Brittany called as she kicked the door shut behind her, bouncing over to them and jumping up onto the sofa with a wide grin, before dropping to sit cross-legged between the two girls, who had been sat either end.

"Okay, tell, tell, tell!" Santana poured another glass of wine and handed it to the blonde. Rachel and Santana both turned to her so she had their full attention, and she got herself comfortable before taking a deep breath and beginning

"Right, so we were still in our dance stuff and everything so I was all 'Yeah sure, I don't have any other clothes to change into, though' but she was like 'whatever, neither do I, and you'd look cute in anything' " she did a little dance before continuing "and like, we just went to the Pizza Hut near the studio, coz we looked kind of scruffy obviously. And we sat down and just chatted about stuff, like music – she has the _best _taste, but she said that my music taste is awesome before I got to tell her" the blonde did a little self-deprecating giggle, and the two brunette's couldn't help but grin along with her "and we talked about movies and she was like 'What? You've _never_ seen Hocus Pocus? Oh my God, I'm gonna make you watch it!' and I was like 'OKAY!'"

"Wait, you've never seen Hocus Pocus? Wow"

"Santana, shh! Carry on, B"

"That's sort of it. We talked all night, and laughed _so_much! And at the start we both tried to be polite and eat with our knives and forks, and then she was all 'this is ridiculous, shall we just use our hands?' and I was like 'I was thinking that!' and we laughed and ate with our hands and it was just was great, we had so much fun." She squealed and buried her face in a cushion, jiggling excitedly

"So…" Rachel bit her lip and Santana raised an eyebrow, their eyes meeting nervously over Brittany's back, "Who paid?"

The blonde sat up and took a breath, drawing out the suspense "…she did!" they whooped "I tried to, but she wouldn't let me…" she trailed off with a grin and the brunette's mouths hung open

"Ohhh myyy gooooddd…." Rachel took a deep breath

"Date! Date! Date!" Santana prodded the blonde's shoulder with every word as Rachel bounced up and down clapping her hands "That was totally a date!"

"I know!" Brittany did a little happy dance, "We just had our first date! Wearing sweats and sneakers!" they all laughed, and spent the rest of the night reminiscing about random dates, and finishing the bottle of wine.


	4. Red Velvet

"If I marry her, do we both wear dresses?" It was a few hours later, and nearly 2am, and thy were still sat in Brittany and Rachel's living room, discussing their love-lives. Brittany was laid upside down with her legs over the back of the sofa, Rachel had made her way onto the floor, and Santana was sat cross-legged on the sofa.

"You can wear whatever you want; although I _do _think you'd look very fetching in a suit" Rachel winked and Santana giggled

"You should both wear sweatpants. And sweaty sneakers. Can I be maid of honour?" Santana asked through her mouthful of popcorn

"No way, I'm maid of honour!" Rachel pouted "Besides, you don't _have _any honour!"

"Zip it, hobbit! You're one to talk; I know what you did with that guy in the gym closet, when you were touring schools with that stupid history show. Yeah, you're _so _honourable"

Rachel blushed and Brittany snorted, "Oh my God, I remember that! We had to take you to the clinic because you thought you got an infection from all the sweaty equipment!" Santana laughed and Rachel rolled her eyes, attempting to stop her giggles. And failing.

"Yeah, whatever. Because I'm the only one that's ever had to visit the clinic…?" she looked pointedly at Santana

"Um…yeah?" Brittany frowned, before noticing Rachel's glare "Oh my god, what's this? I haven't heard _this _story!"

"No! There's nothing to tell!" Santana shouted as Rachel opened her mouth

"Oh yes there is-" Rachel began, but Santana cut her off

"There isn't. She already knows" she shrugged, casually

"No she doesn't!" Rachel insisted

"No, she doesn't" Brittany echoed, grinning and shaking her head

"Rachel leave it, there's-" before she could finish, Brittany dived across the sofa and grabbed Santana, covering the brunette's mouth with her hand,

"Rachel what happened?" the blonde asked, holding a glaring Santana down

"Santana got thrush after she slept with a drama lecturer at NYU!" Rachel blurted out, and Brittany's jaw dropped

"No _way_! Oh my God! I did _not_ know that!" she sat back, releasing a blushing Santana

"Whatever, it's not a big deal. It was one time" she shrugged

"_IT WAS ONE TIME_!" They all shouted in unison before bursting into fits of giggles

"Ah…I love gossip." Brittany chuckled

"Yeah, only coz you're not the butt of the stories!" Santana blushed again, glaring at Rachel, who giggled to herself

"To be fair," the short brunette pointed at Brittany, "You did once ask me if colour protect shampoo would stop you from going grey when you get old…"

"It protects colour!" The blonde defended, holding her arms up in a shrug

"Only if you dye your hair! It doesn't work like that!" Santana threw her head back with laughter, and the blonde blushed as Rachel joined in with the giggling

"Okay, it's like 2am." Santana announced when she had stopped giggling, and the other two girls pulled shocked faces as they checked the time "So if we're done with confession time, I'd better be heading home. See you later, chicas"

They said their goodbyes and Santana grinned, still blushing slightly, as she left their building. It had been a very interesting night; finding out about Brittany's date, and the major gossip session that came afterwards. It was a fairly warm night, considering it was September, which was lucky as she had only taken a thin jacket with her. She rounded the corner onto the strip of shops between her street and Rachel and Brittany's.

The street was mostly deserted apart from a couple of men on the other side, and Santana was happy to wander home at her own pace. It was Friday night, so she didn't have to worry about getting up early the next day, and could stay up as late as she wanted. She threw her head back to look at the sky; more as habit than anything else, god knows she couldn't see the stars with all this light pollution, but it was nice to look at how high the buildings rose. It was as she was staring upwards at the skyline that she bumped straight into an unsuspecting passer-by.

There was a small squeal, and Santana immediately apologized "Oh my god, I'm so sorry I didn't see you – oh, it's you. Hi." She stopped abruptly, staring at the girl in front of her.

"Oh, it's okay, really. I didn't see you either" Quinn smiled. Even at 2am she was beaming. Seriously?

"No it was my fault. What are you doing here this late anyway?" she frowned and gestured to the bakery, which now had its shutters pulled down, and she noticed Quinn held a key in her hand

"I was just locking up, actually. I'm not always here this late. I mean sometimes I am, but, not always…" she blushed as she trailed off, realizing she had been talking very fast

"Oh. Why wereyou here so late?" Santana frowned, and gestured in the direction she was going. Quinn nodded and they set off at a slow walk

"Well, I was doing the accounts and paperwork stuff, and then I let a batch of red velvets burn _just _too much to sell, so I had to start all over again" she sighed, rolling her eyes with a smile

"Oh, that sucks." Santana frowned sympathetically

"I have the brunt ones here if you want one? No charge, _obviously_" she blushed, breaking eye contact, and Santana smiled "They don't have any frosting, but they _are _only a _little_ burnt"

"Cool, thanks"

"So, what about you? Why out so late?" Under normal circumstances, Santana would scowl and tell her it was none of her business, but she was a little tipsy, and in a fairly good mood. Plus the blonde's sickening smile _was_a little infectious

"Oh, I was just at my two friends' house for an update; one was on a date tonight" she explained, and Quinn nodded, "This is_ really _good, by the way. Thanks"

She grinned at the praise, suddenly shy "I see. So how was it? Was he a gentleman?"

Santana gave a soft laugh, "The complete opposite actually."

"Ohhh, I see." Quinn blushed, looking down at her feet "Sorry"

"It's fine." Santana shook her head and grinned "But apparently she _was_ a complete lady. Although she did insist on paying"

"Well that's always a good sign" Quinn laughed "Okay, well this is me. So, I guess I'll see you around"

"Yeah, thanks for the cake. See you!" she smiled as the blonde turned down a side street with a small wave.

She made her way back to her own apartment, watching a few episodes of Friends in bed, before falling asleep, staying in bed until way past noon the next day. It was Saturday, after all. Saturday afternoon she went to the gym before going shopping – managing to lug all of the bags up the stairs in one trip – clearly the work-outs were paying off. Sunday was spent shopping and watching TV, before marking some last minute work students had emailed to her, and organising her work and outfit, ready for Monday morning.


	5. Guests

"Is she still talking?" Brittany muttered out the side of her mouth, and Santana glanced back at her

"I don't know, I've been trying to name all the states for the last half an hour" they smirked and Rachel spun on her heel

"Are you guys listening?" they both nodded innocently, "Ugh! Guys, my dads arrive in two days!"

"So?" Brittany frowned

"It's my dad's birthday Saturday, they arrive Friday and I have no idea what to get him, _or _when I'll find the time to go shopping, because I _still _haven't got him a gift!" Rachel threw her arms up in the air

Santana rolled her eyes. "I know, you dragged us round half of Manhattan looking for one. Only _you _could be in _New York_, and not be able to find a gift." It was just after noon on Wednesday, and Rachel had dragged them both out of bed at 9am to go shopping with her. They had been following her round the streets for nearly four hours now

"Well, strictly speaking I _have _got him a gift" Rachel confessed, and Brittany put out and arm to stop Santana from reached out and strangling the girl

"What the fuck? Hobbit, you said we were looking for a gift!" she stopped, and Rachel walked a few steps before realising they weren't behind her and turning to give them an impatient look. Santana was tired from lack of sleep and a distinct red mist was starting to cloud her vision

"Well, we are! I got him a sweater, but I also wanted to get him something a little more… just a _little _something extra, you know? Make it a little special. It's the first time they've visited me in the city, _and _my Dad's birthday, I want to do something nice"

"So we've been suggesting normal gifts all along, when actually you only want something small and special?" Brittany said stonily, quirking an eyebrow

"Yeah…exactly…" Rachel looked at her feet as Brittany glared

"You are evil." Rachel frowned, her confused evident as her mouth dropped open, and Santana giggled "I'm not letting you stay in the apartment tonight; you don't deserve shelter. You can sleep in the foyer with Stink-Eye Jim if you get desperate" the blonde rolled her eyes and carried on walking, and the other two girls followed after her

"Why are blonde girls so violent?" Rachel muttered to herself as she did a little skip to keep up with the taller girl's long strides, and Santana's mind wandered to a distinctly _un-_violent blonde

"Oh, hey, did I tell you about the Bernstein's place?" Santana asked, and Brittany slowed her pace "Someone new is in there already. Actually she was moved in like, three days later. If that."

"Wow. So what's it been turned into?" Rachel asked over her shoulder

"It's this bakery, run by this bitch. Some blonde chick. I hate her. And I'm pretty sure she has something wrong with her, because she's like the joker. Seriously, the girl _never _stops smiling."

Brittany frowned at her "So? Some people are just happy; we're not all tainted like you" she snorted

"Enthusiastic happiness makes me feel unclean" Santana grimaced and Rachel and Brittany exchanged an amused look, shaking their heads

"So it's now run by a happy blonde baker? Yeah sounds like hell." Rachel rolled her eyes

"Bitch took the Bernstein's place!" Santana protested and Brittany frowned

"Uh, I thought the Bernsteins left. Wouldn't they have gone anyway? She didn't really steal it" Santana thought for a moment. That _was _true. But it was easier to pretend it wasn't

"Well, whatever, she's irritating either way. _ But_my point was that she actually _does _make really good cupcakes. I got one for Jeremy, my student, for his birthday last week; why don't you get your Dad one, Rach?" she shrugged like it was the most obvious thing in the world, and Rachel looked thoughtful

"Actually that _is _a pretty good idea! Can we go in on the way back? So I can look?" the shorter girl grinned enthusiastically

Santana grimaced "Not if you're going to look like…_that._ I'm not being in the same room with you _and _her; I might have a cheer-induced aneurism"

"Yeah we'll go in" Brittany rolled her eyes, "Hey, can we go to the movies tonight? I really wanted to see that new Pixar film. It's been out over a week and I _still _haven't seen it! Usually I see them within the first two days; I'm having withdrawal!"

Santana laughed, "If you're that desperate to see it why don't you ask_ Jess_?" she teased, drawing the name out, and Brittany blushed

"_Because_ she's away visiting her cousins this weekend. We're doing something next week though, but it's already been out a week and time is running out!" the blonde insisted

"Okay, well yeah I'll see it with you" Rachel smiled

"Same" Santana shrugged as they reached the row of shops, and stood on the other side of the street, judging the cupcake shop

"I like the colours" Brittany grinned "It looks cheery"

"That's the problem" the Latina growled, and began to cross the street, looking at the large bright window with mild disgust. She could see the chirpy blonde through the window, a heavy frown on her features. As they reached the other side of the road, the blonde inside the shop turned and caught Santana's eye, her face immediately lighting up in a grin. Santana looked away awkwardly and Brittany pushed the door open

"Hey!" Quinn grinned

"Hi there" Brittany smiled back brightly, and Rachel grinned. Santana's eyes flitted between the three girls, wincing slightly. She felt a little queasy.

"Hello there. It's my father's birthday this weekend and although I have already purchased a _lovely _sweater, I think this is an important occasion and I would like to do something a little more special for him." Rachel's smile didn't falter once, and Quinn raised an eyebrow, her smile fading to a polite patient one

"Um, okay. Well, we have this whole range, or you can take a leaflet home with you. I also do requests although they do cost a little extra." Quinn grinned again and Rachel nodded

"Can I have one of those?" Brittany pointed at the counter in awe. Santana followed her finger to see a bright, beach-themed cupcake. It does look good, the detail in the decoration was incredible

"Sure, they're coconut, is that okay?" Quinn glanced up at Brittany, amused, as she reached into the glass counter, passing it over to the blonde. The taller girl handed over the money and bit into her cupcake, moaning with delight and nodding furiously at Quinn.

Santana grimaced, frowning at the noise the blonde made, before she felt a pair of eyes on her. She glanced across to the girl behind the counter, who was clearly biting back a laugh as Brittany continued to make sexual noises. Santana stared at the floor, clearing her throat softly to mask her grin, and Rachel finally put an end to Brittany's noises as she took a leaflet from the counter.

"Wow. You _do _provide a large range of flavours." Rachel nodded, impressed

"This coconut one's really good!" Brittany chimed in, mouth full

"Yes. We gathered" Quinn replied quietly, and only Santana seemed to detect the friendly mocking as she met the girl's eyes again

"Um…do you do any nutty ones? My dad really likes nuts…" Rachel asked thoughtfully, and Santana snorted, immediately chocking back her laughter

"Yeah I'll bet he does" the Latina chuckled, before she stopped attempting to hold in her laughter, dropping her face into her palm, and even Rachel and Quinn raised a smile, although the blonde's was somewhat bemused

"Santana!" Rachel scolded, before turning back to the girl behind the counter when the laughter died down "Okay, can I get this one on Saturday morning? But with green icing instead please?"

"Yeah that's fine, when do you wanna pick it up?" Quinn grinned at the short girl, and Rachel frowned

"Uh…say ten-ish? Is that okay?"

"Absolutely. Anything else?" she grinned at the three of them in turn and their eyes all skimmed across the glass counter

"Can I get another coconut one?" Brittany blushed and Quinn nodded, grinning

"Uh…do you do any vegan selections?" Rachel frowned and Quinn smiled politely

"Those two rows right at end. There's peanut butter chocolate or lemon cream, take your pick!" Rachel pointed to the lemon one and Quinn grinned, "An excellent choice. Anything for you…?" she hesitated, and Brittany jumped in

"Santana. And I'm Brittany" she offered her hand with a grin, and Rachel also introduced herself, shaking the blonde's hand over the counter

"No I'm fine." She didn't return the blonde's grin, and rolled her eyes as they filed out of the shop, Brittany and Rachel saying their cheery goodbyes and promising to visit again.

-ooOoo-

The rest of the day passed quickly. Santana left Brittany and Rachel, arranging to meet at the movie theatre that evening, and spent the day doing laundry and playing on her games console. Aka screaming and throwing the controller across the room, cursing "Harley Quinn, you little rodent bitch". She met up with Rachel and Brittany, stuffed her face with popcorn and nachos, and even actually managed to enjoy the film.

They had exited the subway and were wandering down through their neighbourhood, Brittany still blabbering about the film and how cute the little girl was. Santana left Rachel and Brittany at their apartment and continued to wander home through the dark streets, and her attention wandered and she started to day dream. She could really use one of those lemon cupcakes right now actually. They were good. She should learn to bake. It could be a handy skill. Then again, the whole Domestic Goddess thing hadn't gone so well before. And baking involved even more dangerous gadgets. And that could only end badly. Maybe she should stick to Sweetie Pie's. Less hassle. Even if it _did_mean talking to irritatingly chirpy cupcake-girl.

The blonde appeared before her. Was she still daydreaming? It was very vivid. Maybe she was hallucinating. Those nachos _did _taste weird; that creepy movie guy probably spiked her. She realised she had stopped walking. And that yes, the blonde _was_, in fact, standing in front of her. In real life. _Cupcake girl._

The blonde turned. Oh, shit, she'd said that out loud. "Hi. Santana."

"Quinn." She swallowed. Seriously, in the whole of the city, she'd now ran into this girl twice in a week. Eight million people lived in this city. Maybe the blonde was stalking her. It was more probable than just "accidentally" running into her twice in a week. Maybe. She didn't know; she wasn't good with probabilities. She hated math. Although this _was _New York. Maybe she _was _being stalked. Maybe she should stop talking to the stalker. And she should _definitely_ stop staring at her, now that neither of them had spoken for what felt like an hour, and Quinn was started to look awkward under the brunette's intense gaze. She cleared her throat, "What are you doing here?"

"I, um…the uh, the boiler…" she took a breath, "The heating in my apartment has gone off. So I have no hot water or heat or…anything." She blushed, rolling her eyes, and it was then that Santana noticed the heavy bag slung over her shoulder,

"Oh my God. So, what are you going to do?" she frowned

"Uh, well I called the…company…guy, or whatever, and he can't come out until tomorrow, unsurprisingly. But my brother lives like…a few blocks away. I called him and he said I can stay on his floor for the night and then meet the guy tomorrow. But it_ does _mean I won't be opening the shop until later; I don't want to leave a random stranger in my apartment." Santana nodded "but luckily I didn't have any early-morning orders to be picked up." The grin was back, and Santana had to admire the girl for her ability to stay positive and bounce back, although she could see the stress etched into the girl's forehead. She wanted to reach out and stroke the frown away. The blonde _was _quite pretty, and it would be a shame if she was subjected to premature wrinkles. She shook the thought away

"So, where does your brother live?" she didn't want the blonde walking too far. It was dangerous, and she was clearly vulnerable. She could be mugged. Or killed. And it would be Santana's fault. The fact that she herself often walked practically from one side of the city to the other in the very early hours seemed to slip her mind.

"Uh, about two neighbourhoods that way…" the blonde trailed off with a nervous smile, pointing her thumb over her shoulder, and Santana replied before she realised the thought had entered her mind

"Do you want me to walk you?" she smiled politely and Quinn immediately shook her head

"No, no. I couldn't ask you to do that!" she grinned, blushing

"It's no trouble; I don't want you walking around alone" Santana insisted, blushing when Quinn caught her eye

"No, it's too far; you'd be miles out of your way!" she shook her head, smiling, and Santana looked down at her feet, swallowing

"Well, if it's too far for me then it's too far for you to walk alone" she pointed out, and the blonde laughed, rolling her eyes, "Okay look, I'm going to sound weird but do you want to just stay at mine?" What was she doing? "I mean, I literally live right down that street, so you'd be so much closer, and I have a sofa bed? It'll be comfier than the floor?"

"No, honestly! You're very kind but I couldn't. It's fine really"

She sighed and bit her lip "Okay, where exactly does your brother live?"

Quinn hesitated "…Brooklyn"

"No way! You're not going to Brooklyn by yourself at this time. Seriously, if we walk like fifteen yards, I can point to my apartment" Quinn opened her mouth to protest but Santana cut her off "Don't be a hero, blondie."

"Fine!" the blonde sighed with a giggle, "Fine. Thank you. I'll call my brother"

"Yeah. And I'm trusting you not to be a serial killer, here, by the way." The brunette started to lead the way, and Quinn fell into step beside her after tapping out a text

"I promise I'm not." She laughed "And I owe you. Big time."

"Nah, think of it as payback for the free cupcake" Santana shrugged

"It was burnt!"

"Well you can have the floor, if you're that bothered?" she shot back, and Quinn blushed

"Okay, payback for the cupcake." They both nodded, and she quickly added "And the next two you buy."

They reached the building and Santana led the way to the stairs, "The elevators broken" she said, noting the confusion in Quinn's quirked eyebrow. By the time they reached the fourth floor, the blonde was clearly struggling with her heavy bag, and Santana put out her hand to take it off her. By the seventh floor, Santana gave out, and they carried the bag between them the rest of the way, each clutching a handle, "Don't suppose you know how to fix elevators? That'd be a pretty good payback right now."

"Sadly no. Sorry" she grinned

"Oh well. I'll just to move to a lower floor." They finally reached her floor and Santana pulled out her keys. She was thankful that she'd cleaned the apartment the other week. Although if she hadn't, she probably wouldn't have offered her couch. Mostly because Quinn wouldn't have been able to _find_ the couch. "Okay so…this is home. I'm going to go change into my pyjamas and get you some bedding" It was slightly awkward now that they were both just…stood. But she had kind of expected that. Quinn crossed and placed her bag on the couch as Santana left in the direction of the bedroom. She grabbed the bedding from the top shelf of the closet, checking it was clean, and quickly changed into shorts and a t-shirt before padding out into the living room in her slippers.

"Here you go" she smiled, and Quinn grinned back

"Is that the bathroom?" Santana nodded "Okay, I'm gonna go change" she grinned again and appeared a few moments later in plaid bottoms and a vest top

"Hey, do you want anything to drink or anything? You hungry?" Santana called from the kitchen, and Quinn crossed to join her

"Uh I'm fine, just a glass of water please?" she smiled politely, and Santana glanced at her, eyebrow raised

"You sure? I'm making a grilled cheese sandwich?" she tempted

"Actually yeah that sounds great. Yes please. If it's not too much trouble" Quinn blushed and Santana laughed

"Would you please calm down?" Santana slammed the bread on the counter

"I'm, I'm sorry?" She stuttered

"Just relax. You're not putting me out or whatever. You're acting like it's a big imposition or something. If it wasn't okay for you to stay I wouldn't have offered. I'm not at work tomorrow and it's _really _no trouble, seriously. Stop apologizing."

"Okay." Quinn giggled, looking down at her fidgeting hands, "I'm sorry" she blushed

"You're still doing it!" Santana laughed as she grated cheese furiously

"Doing what?" Quinn slapped her hand on the counter, her face a mixture of shock and amusement

"You're still blushing and fidgeting and stuff!" she gestured wildly with the knife and Quinn took a step back, laughing

"I'm a fidgety person!" Quinn blushed and held her hands up innocently. Being under the blonde's gaze for this long was making her nervous. Especially when she kept jumping between shy and blushing and smiling that big, bright grin

"Well, you're not, like, putting me to trouble so…stop blushing!" she gestured and Quinn's eyes followed her hand, before she brought her own up to Santana's wrist to lower the knife. Santana realised what she had done and blushed "Sorry" she muttered

"Ha! Now you're doing it! Now you can't criticize!" Quinn grinned smugly and Santana narrowed her eyes

"I do not blush. Santana Lopez does not blush." She shook her head with a scathing look, pointing at the cupboard by Quinn's head "Can you pass the plates?"

"Well, Quinn Fabray does. And Santana Lopez can just live with it." She thrust the plates into Santana's stomach, glaring through a sweet smile

"Well…shut up." Santana passed a plate back to Quinn, and pulled the sandwiches out of the grill, flicking one onto Quinn's plate

"Nice comeback. Thank you" she passed through to the living room,

"Stop saying thank you!" Santana followed, sitting on the sofa. The blonde rolled her eyes, and they ate in silence, and Quinn took the plates through to the sink before Santana stood up. They said their goodnights and Santana yawned as she crawled into bed.

-ooOoo-

Santana woke up late the next morning, and the living room was already empty as she went to the kitchen to make coffee. Quinn must have only just left, as the full pot of coffee was still hot. The bedding was folded neatly and left in a pile on the couch and Santana smiled, shaking her head as she noticed the note Quinn had left on the counter, smiling at the big loopy handwriting

**Santana. Thank you SO much. I can't believe you let me stay. How EMBARRASSING for me. Good job you're SO generous. I REALLY appreciate it  
>-Cupcake Girl<strong>

Santana could hear the sarcasm in the girl's worlds, and giggled as she read, shaking her head. She stuck the note to the fridge with a magnet, before turning to go get dressed.


	6. Costumes

"Hey guys, did you both get invites to Mercedes' party?" Santana asked as the two girls climbed into the car. Friday had finally arrived, and they had rented a car to pick up Rachel's dads from the airport. Brittany had insisted on coming, too, much to Rachel's annoyance; this meant that every seat in the car would be taken once her fathers arrived, and as the shorted, Rachel would be the one to take the middle seat.

"Yeah, are you going?" Brittany asked as she pulled the passenger door closed

"Of course she is. We're all going, aren't we?" Rachel asked, leaning forwards in her seat so her face was between the two girls

"Sure, yeah. But isn't it a costume party?"

"Yes! And its Broadway themed, I can't wait! What are you going to go as?" Rachel grinned at the two girls, and Santana rolled her eyes

"Berry, if I wasn't trying to drive through hideous traffic, I'd be glaring at you right now. Just fyi."

Brittany giggled, "Well I'm not sure. But it'll be awesome."

"Ooh, we should all go together-" Rachel started

"Well obviously" Santana scoffed

"-and wear matching costumes" she grinned at them

"Hells to the no." they were sat in traffic, so this time Santana really did turn in her seat to glare at the girl

"Why not, San? We'd look cool!" Brittany shrugged and flicked the radio on "And there's a competition for best costume."

"So?" Santana pushed the button to turn the radio off

"We'd do really well if we all matched!" she pressed it back on again, finding a new station

"I don't care!" she stabbed the centre console and the radio died again. Brittany giggled

"Yeah you do! That's such a lie, you love to win" Rachel argued "So we're agreed we'll go and wear some sort of thee-way costume"

"Heh, you said three-way" Santana smirked "And no. We're not agreed on that. Not at all."

Brittany subtly switched the radio back on, and Santana sighed, admitting defeat "Well, the party's in a week! Have you got any other ideas?"

"…no." she frowned and glanced at the girl

"Well then it's perfect! But what shall we go as?" she looked back to Rachel, who was biting her lip

"Ooh, how about Roxie Hart, Velma Kelly and Billy Flynn?" she suggested

"Yeah man hands, you'd make an awesome Billy Flynn!" Santana grinned

"No way, I'm Velma!"

"Oh no, _I'm _Velma_._" she pointed to herself

"Can't I be Velma?" Brittany mumbled

"Blonde. You're Roxie." Rachel explained, and Brittany nodded

"Making _me _the perfect Velma!" Santana smirked

"If you two can't decide, we'll just have to think of something else." Brittany said diplomatically, and Rachel folding her arms, huffing

"What about Dream Girls?" Santana shrugged

"That doesn't count, and I want something amazing!" the brunette frowned, and Santana sighed, "Ooh, how about Fantine, Eponine and Co-"

"No." Brittany cut her off "Grease girls?"

"Too predictable, everyone will be doing Grease" Santana shook her head as they entered the airport car park before getting out to go and meet Rachel's fathers.

They had arrived just a few minutes before the Berrys did, and Santana couldn't help but grin when she saw them coming through the terminal. They were bickering quietly, but clearly tense with excitement. Rachel squealed and ran towards them, and the other two followed at a slower pace. The brunette threw herself at Hiram "Dad!" And he lifted her high into the air, and Santana stepped forwards to give Leroy a hug.

"Hey, it's good to see you, how was the flight?" she grinned. She had only met them twice, once when they came to stay with Rachel for the weekend just after college, and when she couldn't afford to join her parents on holiday last year, she had spent the holidays with them.

"It was great, good to see you too. Hey, Rachy said you got a new job how's it going?"

"It's really good!" Rachel threw herself at the man and she gave Hiram a warm hug instead, "Oh, also, this is Brittany, have you met?"

"Hi, it's nice to meet you" Brittany grinned and waved, only slightly awkwardly, and Hiram stepped forward to pull her into a big hug

"Hello, it's great to finally meet you!"

"Yeah, Rachel's told us all about you so many times. Nice to finally put a face to the name!" Leroy added. During this exchange, Santana had looked down at the men's luggage trolley, and she glanced at Rachel with a worried look

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Rachel frowned

"I, uh…I don't think that car will fit all of us…" she bithelip

"Oh, we'll make it fit!" Hiram said jovially

"Yeah, now come on let's go!" Leroy began to push the trolley toward the exit and they all followed.

-ooOoo-

"See! I knew it!" Santana stopped attempting to stuff the last bag into the back of the car and sighed, "Rach, I told you so! I knew it wouldn't all fit"

"Yeah, it's kind of looking that way" Hiram frowned

"Well…what are we going to do?" Brittany bit her lip

"Well it's your fault we're in this mess!" Santana looked between the two girls, "You work it out!" she stepped round the side of the car to lean her back against the back door, arms folded

"Nice to see your mods aren't so temperamental anymore, Santana" Hiram teased and she gave a soft laugh

"Okay, Dad, why don't we stay here; Daddy, you go with Brittany and Santana?" Rachel suggested

"Yeah" Brittany added "Then I can take you in, Leroy, and we'll take up the bags while Santana comes back for you guys?" they all nodded and Santana rolled her eyes

"Berry you owe me. Mini-Berry, I mean." She corrected, and Leroy leaned over to her

"You may not want to frown so much, honey" he whispered as the others unloaded some of the bags, "Frightful lines" he ran a finger across his forehead

Santana gasped and immediately bent down to inspect her own in the side mirror "No! I do not!" she heard the man giggling behind her and straightened up to glare at him for his teasing, berating herself for believing him, but the man's wide smile was contagious and she just pouted instead, blushing "Oh, it's good to see you again" she giggled, leaning in for a small hug. The others had finally re-packed the car, and Hiram and Rachel were now walking back toward the airport to get a coffee while Santana drove back and forth, and the other three piled in to the car.

-ooOoo-

Once they had safely delivered the Berrys and their belongings home, Brittany and Santana took the rental car back to the hire place before catching the subway back to Santana's apartment. Brittany was spending the weekend with Santana in her apartment, as The Berry men were staying in her room at her and Rachel's apartment. They had promised Rachel that they would think about ideas for costumes, but in reality they ordered a large, meaty pizza and spent the whole of Friday night having a Call of Duty tournament on Santana's Xbox. They switched the console off when the clock showed 1am, and started to get ready for bed; Brittany using the bathroom while Santana changed in the bedroom and vice versa.

Santana pulled the chord to switch off the light as she left the bathroom, and frowned at the empty room. Brittany must still be getting changed. She knocked on the bedroom door, "Aren't you ready for bed yet?"

"Yeah, come on in" came the shouted reply, and Santana swung the door open, intending to get the bedding from the closet. Jesus, this bedding had seen more action in the past week than in the last year. She was surprised to see Brittany cross-legged, under the covers

"What are you doing? No way, you're not stealing my bed, get on the couch!" she laughed

"What? That's not fair, why should I have to sleep on the couch just because Rachel's dads _stole _my bed!" Brittany protested, staring innocently at her "I'm doing a good deed for our best friend. You should reward me, by letting me have the bed"

"I'll get you a medal, now get out of my bed." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder but Brittany just reached over and flicked back the corner of the bedspread, scooting over to the other side, still cross-legged "No way, you're on the cough, get out."

"I don't mind sharing. You get the left side…or the couch…" Brittany challenged smugly, now leaning back on her elbows

"Ugh. Fine. But you're not telling Rachel or she'll go all weird and think we had sex"

"Well-" Brittany winked

"We're not having sex!" Santana cut her off, and Brittany giggled. She rolled her eyes

"You're such a spoil sport." The blonde jokes, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly "Now come on in, sugar!" she licked her lips flirtatiously, and patted the space next to her.

Santana sighed, glaring at her "Okay then, you wanna play? Let's play" she kneeled at the end of the bed, before dropping her hands onto the mattress, crawling slowly towards Brittany. The blonde raised one eyebrow and waited…and waited. Santana was determined not to lose this game of chicken, and felt slight satisfaction when she saw the blonde gulp, and placed on hand either side of Brittany's hips. She leaned forward, agonizingly slowly, her heart beating furiously in her ears…

"Okay, okay I give! I'm kidding, get away from me!" Brittany caved, slapping Santana's arm and giggling

"Ha! Yesssss! I knew it. You suck I win!" Santana dropped onto the bed next to the blonde, laughing, and threw her arms up in celebration. Brittany took the opportunity and jabbed a finger into her ribs

"Don't get so smug." She sulked, and they both scooted down under the covers, and Santana reached across to switch the bedside lamp on before jumping out and flicking the main light off. She crawled back in next to the other girl, and although it would have been nice to sleep star-fished across the bed like usual, it was quite comforting having another presence in the bed for a change.

-ooOoo-

She gave the Berry men another ride to the airport on Sunday, and was sad to see them go. The five of them had shared a meal on Saturday night for Hiram's birthday, and it had been fun. Hiram had praised Quinn's cupcake, and Santana made a mental note to tell the girl next time she saw her. It had been a few days since the girl had stayed, and she hadn't seen her since, only occasionally catching her eye through the shop window and exchanging small smiles. Or giant grins in Quinn's case; although it had to be said, the girl did have a stunning smile.

By Wednesday morning, they still didn't have any ideas for costumes. Santana had even resorted to subtly working it into her lesson plans as a warm up activity for her students, but even that got no results. The week was passing slowly, and so she was relieved when Rachel called her late Wednesday afternoon with an idea

"No. And that's four character's, Rach" she frowned

"Well, Britts called Mercedes and asked if she could bring a date…" Rachel hinted

"Ooh, do we finally get to meet Dancer-Jess?" Santana grinned

"Yeah we do!" she squealed and Santana joined in "Oh my God, I wonder what she's like?"

"Same. So Britts and Jess have already agreed to this? Agreed to looking like complete idiots on their, what, fourth date?"

"Yes they have. So you have _very _little choice! Come on, at least it's an easy one!" Rachel pointed out

"Fine. We'll do it. I'm not happy in the _slightest bit_. But we'll do it. Anyway, are you getting her a gift or what?" she frowned

"Well actually, me and Britts were thinking, why don't we all chip in and get her a box of Quinn's cakes?" she suggested

Santana nodded, impressed "Yeah. Spelling out Happy Birthday or something?"

"Exactly! She really likes toffee and fudge so we'll see what flavours they have?" Rachel asked

"Okay sounds good, you wanna go tomorrow, say…half four?"

"That works for me. Then on Friday you can pick them up on your way round to ours, and we'll go to the party from there."

"In full costume? Awesome. Okay fine. Right, I'll talk to you later, Hobbit" she hung up, ignoring the squeal of protest, and pushed open the door to her apartment building.

Once in her apartment she set about googling and planning her outfit.

-ooOoo-

The next day she met Rachel and Brittany outside her apartment building, Brittany carrying a large smoothie, and Rachel complaining about auditions, and they all walked to the bakery together. Santana smiled to herself as she pushed the door open and heard the familiar tinkling of the bell. It was fairly busy today; two of the tables were occupied and there was a fairly long queue, and Santana craned her neck over the people waiting to see behind the counter. Quinn was accompanied by another boy and looked slightly flushed, but her grin was still set in place, making Santana smile. Just then the blonde glanced up and caught her eye, giving a small wave.

Embarrassed at being caught, Santana looked away and joined the conversation with the other two girls.

"I can never get over the smell in here" Rachel inhaled deeply

"Yeah, it always smells of like….fresh baking" Brittany agreed, and Santana and Rachel chuckled "What?" she frowned

"Of course it smells like baking, Britts" Santana shook her head "It's a bakery."

"Well, yeah, but…awh shut up." She blushed and Rachel wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, leaning her head on the blonde's arm, who pouted comically and glared at Santana when she smirked. The queue cleared fairly quickly, and Rachel greeted the blonde with a large grin

"Hi, it's nice to see you again. This is my brother, Sam. He was helping in the rush hour" Quinn explained, grinning at the girls

"Hey" he smiled. A much smaller smile and not nearly as nice, Santana thought, as everyone was introduced. Wow, one sibling had a giant smile; the other just had giant lips. That really was freakish. She grimaced and he looked uncomfortable, frowning "And now I'm going out the back. Nice to meet you"

"Lovely to see you again, Quinn-" Rachel began

"I like your apron" Brittany smiled, and Quinn nodded her thanks as she reached down to grab one of the coconut cakes. The tall blonde took it with a look of pure delight, and Santana rolled her eyes, not meeting Quinn's

"Anyway, it's our friend's birthday party on Friday, and we were wondering if we could place an order?" Rachel beamed

"Of course. Are you catering the whole party, or do you just want one cake?" Santana detected a hint of mocking, and it suddenly occurred to her that maybe most people didn't order a single cake in advance for birthdays, and she frowned. She caught Quinn's eye, and the girl raised an eyebrow at her expression. She looked down at her feet

"No, we'd like a box" Rachel continued, as Brittany bit into her cake "we were thinking something fudgey or toffee perhaps? And we'd like a letter on each one to spell out Happy Birthday Mercedes, if that's possible?"

"That's entirely possible, of course. Well I do chocolate, chocolate fudge, toffee, banoffee or honeycomb caramel?"

"Banoffee" Santana said, without thinking, "I like banoffee."

"Okay." The blonde grinned "And how about 24 cakes, to make a full rectangle, and I'll just pipe patterns and stuff onto the others?"

"Can you do a cat on one?" Brittany asked, finally dragging her eyes away from the cake she was holding

"Uh…" Quinn looked to the brunette's, who simply shrugged and nodded, "Of course I can!"

"Awesome" Brittany grinned, and Santana shook her head gently. Quinn gave them a price, and they agreed that Santana would pick them up at 6 on Friday

"You will be here that late, right?" Santana asked, unsmiling "I wouldn't want to put you to any trouble" she deadpanned. Suddenly the blonde was unwilling to smile, but Santana saw the twinkle in her eyes.

"Yeah I will. Although your thoughtfulness makes me blush." Quinn answered, equally serious. Rachel and Brittany looked between the two girls, frowning before glancing at each other, realising they were both equally clueless

"Good. _Thank you_" Santana answered intensely, and Quinn gave a small smile

"Okay….so…" Rachel interrupted, starting to feel awkward

"Thanks, Quinn…" Brittany urged, but Quinn and Santana were still staring, unsmiling

"So Santana will pay Friday. _Bye then_…" Rachel added, and they all turned to leave. Santana said nothing. Once they were out of eyesight and earshot, Rachel turned to Santana, "What was that about?"

"Nothing" Santana shrugged, "She's just weird. I told you she was."

"She's not weird. I like her" Brittany defended, "Why are you so mean to her anyway?"

Santana frowned "I'm not mean to her" she was not going to tell the two girls about their little sleepover the other night. They would never let her hear the end of it.

"I dunno, San. You_ can_ be kind of bitchy around her" Rachel shrugged

"I'm always bitchy." She frowned

"That _is _true." Brittany backed her up, "Remember when she screamed at that charity collector in the middle of the street?"

"Oh come on, he practically hit me in the face with his stupid jingly collecting tin!" she defended

"Okay, what about the time you nearly slapped an old lady on the subway?" Rachel argued

"She took my seat!"

"She was like 90, Santana, she didn't take your seat!" Rachel was exasperated. They had had this argument many times

"I had my eye on it and she saw and sat there on purpose!"

"Her legs probably wouldn't support her weight any longer!" the short brunette rolled her eyes,

"I've said it before and I'll say it again. You have rage issues." Brittany laughed and Santana realised they had backed themselves into a corner

"See. I _am_ bitchy all the time." She smirked, "I'm not just mean to Quinn."

They rolled their eyes and said goodbye, Rachel calling after her to make sure she had her costume ready by Friday, and it had better be good because she didn't want Santana looking ridiculous to bring them all down in the competition, and Santana rolled her eyes without turning round, waving over her shoulder.

-ooOoo-

Friday came around, and even on short-notice, Santana was pretty proud of her achievement costume-wise. Granted Rachel's would probably be flawless, Brittany's similarly so, thanks to Rachel. But it was good enough, and she didn't think Rachel would have an issue with it. She stood in front of the mirror admiring herself; well, what was left to admire. But no matter how good she looked, she still couldn't believe she had to walk around wearing it in public. But it was hard enough to get into without attempting to carry it to Rachel and Brittany's whilst carrying a box of cupcakes, to get dressed there. She pulled her cap on and reasoned with herself. It_ was _only a few blocks, if that, once she was at the bakery. Ugh, but Quinn would see her. And definitely tease her. She took a deep breath and left the house, ignoring looks from passers-by as she walked to the bakery.

She pushed the door and noticed the empty shop, minus the blonde behind the counter "Well hey there, Sweetie-Pie" she smiled

"Oh, it's my knight in shining…tin…foil" Quinn looked her up and down, frowning, and raised an eyebrow, "Say what?" she grinned and Santana felt her face growing hot

"The party is fancy dress. Rachel forced me" she admitted with a shrug

"I see. Force you as in you're going with matching costumes…or just…forced you?" Quinn giggled and leaned forward against the counter

"Just forced me." She nodded seriously, "No I'm totally kidding." Santana smiled when Quinn laughed "It's a Broadway-themed party. Name that show?" she held her arms and legs out and pointed to herself

"Short Circuit: The Musical?" Santana rolled her eyes, "Umm….Transformers on Ice!" Santana giggled and shook her head, "No I've got it…Starlight Express."

"Finally!" Santana grinned, "Yup. Rachel is going as Rusty-"

"Longs to win…?" Quinn interjected and Santana looked impressed

"Very fitting. Brittany is Greaseball-"

"The reigning champ" Santana nodded

"She's a dancer. Jess – Brittany's date – is Electra-"

"New challenger"

"Yeah, we haven't met her yet" Santana explained

"These are very deep costume meanings. So that leaves you as…?" Quinn tilted her head

"Poppa."

"Retired Champ?" Quinn frowned, "I don't get it?"

"It was Rachel's choice, everyone else got designated their characters first. No, I'm not happy with it. Although I'm also not too happy being covered in cardboard, tinfoil and painted to look like a train either."

"At least you got to surpass the wheels?" Quinn reasoned, glancing down at her feet

"True, although it took some persuading." Santana laughed

"Well, what I've seen of her, I imagine what Rachel wants, she makes sure she gets." Quinn said, without a hint of malice. Santana nodded "So why retired champ anyway, Poppa?"

"I believe Rachel's reasoning was 'well you used to perform and now you simply teach. Almost like being the retired champ' and then I hung up on her before she could even think about telling me that those who 'can't do…teach'." The brunette admitted, smiling sweetly

"Owch. Subtle. So that's what you do, you're a teacher?" Quinn prompted, and crouched down under the counter to pull out a large rectangular box

"Yes. Music. I love it; and I have some pretty cool kids in some of my classes" she grinned as Quinn opened the box "Perfect! And Brittany will_ love_ that cat"

"Well I couldn't say no to that face. It would be like setting fire to a puppy" Quinn announced, wide-eyed

"I know, right? But yeah, that's the general consensus" Santana smiled, handing over the money for the cakes

"So is that why you bought the first cake? With the music notes and the number sixteen?" Quinn asked, delicately placing the change in Santana's foil-covered palm

"Yeah, it was for one of my better students, Jeremy. And he loved it, by the way. As did Rachel's dad, with his birthday cupcake?" the brunette grinned as Quinn blushed "Oh God, don't start this again!"

"Sorry! Well I'm glad they both liked them." Quinn tried to hide her blush behind a hand and Santana rolled her eyes

"They did. Thanks for your note by the way. _Very_ subtle." She chuckled

"It's my forte. Well, thanks for letting me stay" the grin was back

"Any time" Oops. She didn't mean to say that. There was a pause "Okay. Well I'd better go. Time to walk around in public looking like a total douche! See you later" she grinned as she picked up the box, and turned to leave

"Don't worry, you look very cute." Quinn said with a soft laugh, and Santana turned to look over her shoulder, only to see the bright beaming smile, and she felt a lump in her throat, "Bye, Santana"

She coughed away the lump "See you, Cupcake Girl" she smiled and left, taking a deep breath once she was outside.


	7. Party Time

"Guys, this is Jess" Brittany beamed. They had arrived at the party fashionably late, or so Santana had claimed, and Brittany had gone to meet Jess ten minutes later. Thankfully most people picked up on their costumes, and Rachel had decided they were a shoe-in to win the competition.

"Hey, nice to meet you" Santana smiled politely, shaking the offered hand

"Hello, Jess. What a wonderful costume, we all look great!" Rachel grinned and Jess smiled politely back

"Yeah, Brittany's told me_ so_ much about you two" she laughed, and Santana smiled inwardly at the girl's accent. Brittany was right, she _was _British, but she certainly didn't expect a "spiffing" any time soon.

"You wanna go get a drink?" Brittany grinned and Jess beamed back at her. Rachel and Santana shared a glance, "You want anything getting?" the blonde turned to them and they shook their heads, indicating their full glasses. Rachel bit her lip as the two girls watched their friend and her date's retreating back

"Oh my God!" they looked at each other wide eyed

"She is. _So_. _Cute_. Like, so pretty my eyes hurt." Santana gawped

"Yes. Even _I _have a crush on her!" Rachel exclaimed, waving her drink around, "And did you see the way she was looking at Brittany?"

"Oh yeah! That girl is smitten!" Santana nodded, raising her eyebrows, "Like, their grins."

"Huge" Rachel grinned

"Yeah"

There was a pause "…we're so single it's scary" Rachel said pitifully

"I _know _right?" Santana's shoulders slumped

"And there are no cuties here."

Santana paused, staring into her drink, distracted

"San?"

"Oh yeah. There's none." She shook her head

"Like, I'm so happy for Britts, of course. But a best friend dating, just reminds you that you're not." Rachel sighed

She nodded and indicated the shorter girl's drink "Finish that. We're starting on shots"

Rachel sighed reluctantly, before stopping to think and tipping the drink back in a swift glug. They started to head over to the bar, but when Rachel saw Brittany and Jess still stood there, she grabbed Santana's arm instead, swinging her round

"Hey! What are you-"

"Shh! Dance with me. Britts and Jess are still there, look!" she guided Santana round so the shorter girl's back was to the bar. Santana stared over Rachel's shoulder and sure enough, they _were _stood very close, "Okay, tell me what's happening!"

"Okay they're just talking right now."

"Is that them laughing?" Rachel asked urgently

"Yeah, Jess said something. Brittany's looking at Jess' boobs. Not subtly. Jesus, girl, look into her eyes you look like a perv! Okay, Jess' hand is on Brittany's arm and she's leaning in to say something."

"What's she saying?" Rachel whispered furiously

"How should I know?" Santana whispered back, and Rachel shrugged "Okay, Brittany is saying something in her ear. God that girl is _so _pretty."

"Santana, focus!"

"Sorry! Okay, whispering, whispering, and- OH MY GOD" Santana's grip tightened

"WHAT?"

"Four shots for a dollar! Isn't that illegal? Awesome" Santana's mouth hung open

"San! Would you _please _focus, you are my eyes in this operation!" the shorter girl insisted, and Santana looked back at the two girls

"Right, Brittany is pulling back from Jess. You need to see this" Santana spun Rachel to the side so they could both watch, stepping back into the crowd slightly so they were slightly hidden, and hopefully more subtle.

As Brittany pulled back, Jess reached a hand up, sliding her palm down Brittany's jaw, her fingers stroking at the small space behind the blonde's ear. Brittany gazed down at her and Jess glanced down at her lips before meeting her bright blue eyes. She bit her lip, and Brittany grinned self-consciously, before licking her lips. Jess' attention was brought back to the blonde's lips, and she leaned up slowly, as Brittany inclined her head down, tilting sideways until their lips met. Santana pulled Rachel back around and they danced away together. Once they were masked by the crowd they both started squealing excitedly, clinging to each other and jumping in circles.

"Hey, Brittany?" Jess whispered as she slid her arms around the taller girl's neck as she broke away, the blonde's hands resting on her hips

"Yeah?" she replied in a low voice, feeling her chest tighten

"Your mates have been spying on us for like five minutes" she giggled, and Brittany relaxed, blushing

"Yah. They do that. I'm so sorry." She squirmed and glanced around but there was no sign of them now, thankfully

"It's okay. But this does mean you have to come to my old roommate's party next week so my friends can return the favour" Jess said seriously, her face not matching her tone of voice

"I think I can cope" Brittany grinned, and leaned down for another kiss.

-ooOoo-

"Hey, you were a while" Santana asked innocently

"Don't give me that! Jess saw you watching us, you freaks!" Brittany tried to scold, but her wide grin was giving her away

"Well, it was totally worth it. You two are _so _adorable! Where is she now?" Rachel grinned

"She's going to pay and bring the rest of the drinks over. And yeah we are! God, she's so cute! Isn't she cute? Didn't I tell you?"

"Yeah, she really, _really_ is" Santana stared over in the direction of the bar

"Hey! You keep away from her!" Brittany laughed and Santana's mouth dropped open with an indignant expression

"Like I would!" she protested

"Like she ever _could_ after seeing that little PDA!" Rachel defended "Right, Santana I'm going to go get those shots. Four each?"

Santana nodded and Rachel left, just as Jess was returning, carrying a drink each. Rachel returned and they shared out the shots equally, toasting before drinking in rapid succession. They chatted about nothing for a while, before Rachel suddenly leaned across the table and grabbed both of her hands "Oh my God, San!"

"What, what's up?" Out of the corner of her eye, Santana noted Brittany's hand slipping subtly into Jess'

"Okay, don't look round yet" the girl released her and leaned back. "But you know that girl that Mercedes was friends with when she lived with me?"

"Which one?" Santana frowned

"The red head." Santana's eyes widened comically

"She's here? Oh my God where?" she whipped her head round

Jess raised an eyebrow at Brittany, who shrugged back "I'm sorry, fill us in? Who?"

"She's like Poison Ivy meets…another hot ginger girl!" Santana was still craning her head to see the mysterious girl

"Santana had this_ huge _crush on her!" Rach explained "She's called Molly, and any time they were over at the same time, Santana could, like, barely speak. It would have been embarrassing if it wasn't so hilarious. She literally worshipped her. Can't blame her, she _was_ gorgeous, but always seemed kind of bitchy"

Santana scowled "That's why she was perfect! I don't see her. Anyway, if she's here I need more alcohol" she stood up and frowned "And the bathroom."

She headed to the ladies room first, and headed into a cubicle. She paused. Oh, wow. This was going to be fun. She wrestled out of her cardboard-and-tin-foil pants and sat down. Oh God. She couldn't move her arm when she sat down. The upper body of the costume was completely cardboard instead of panels like the rest of it, and all she could do was swivel her hips, giving her no movement to reach out and take the toilet paper, hanging mere inches away. It was mocking her. She spun from side to side, leaning forward and back trying to get into position to grab it.

"Hey, are you okay in there?" someone had heard her struggle. And she knew that voice

"Yeah, it's fine." She called back, attempting to sound casual, and actually sounding like she was being strangled. She eventually managed to lean forward and swivel just enough, practically dislocating her shoulder, to pull at the roll. As she exited a cubicle to wash her hands, she saw the redhead stood by the mirror, dressed in a Pink Ladies outfit "Oh, hey. It's Santana right? Rachel's friend?"

"Uh, yeah" she _was_ pretty. But not quite as pretty as Santana remembered. Not as pretty as Jess or Brittany or Quinn or Rachel, "That's me. Its, uh, Molly right?" Santana gave her a friendly grin

"Yeah." she nodded, unsmiling "It's good to see you again," Y_eah sounds __like it,_ thought Santana. "How have you been?"

"I'm great, what about you?" she placed her tin-foil covered gloves by the sink as she washed her hands

"I'm good. I'm playing Frenchie in Grease right now" the girl pouted in to the mirror, re-applying her make-up. Hadn't she _just _arrived?

Santana raised an eyebrow "Great, well done. That's really cool, you should be proud"

"I am." _Wow, how modest. _

"I'm a teacher now. Music" she smiled again as she dried her hands.

"Oh, I'm sorry" she replied sympathetically and the brunette frowned

"No, no I love it." Santana corrected, "It's really fulfilling"

"How?" the redhead sneered and Santana's smile faded.

"The kids I teach are great"

"…Okay." She seemed unconvinced, and Santana sighed with a smirk, before pulling her gloves back on. The girl looked her up and down, trying to mask a sneer. Santana stood proudly in her costume and grinned

"See you later" _Bitch._ Well, that was her cured of _that _little crush. She headed back to the bar and bought a round, carrying the drinks back to the table

"Hey, what kept you?" Jess raised an eyebrow and Santana smiled

"I saw Molly in the bathroom"

"Oooooh, and? Did you get the guts to talk to her?" Brittany questioned, and Rachel snorted

"Unlikely…"

"Actually, yes. And she's a total bitch. Seriously, the girl didn't smile _once. _ Someone needs to pull the stick out of her ass before it causes permanent injury." She scoffed and Rachel looked mildly horrified while Brittany and Jess sniggered.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of dancing (mostly the robot, due to their restricted movements), and drinking shots. They won the fancy dress competition, gaining them a bottle of free champagne. Santana stepped up onto the podium to accept it, and wrestled the microphone off Mercedes to scream "That's right, Bitches!" making eye contact with Molly, and earning screams of celebration and delight from the other three, very drunk, girls. She popped the cork on the champagne and jumped down off the step, spraying it all over the four of them and making their cardboard outfits go soft and mushy and misshapen. None of the girl's seemed to care though; they laughed as their faces got sprayed with champagne and ordered more shots as they finished the bottle of champagne.

-ooOoo-

It was two in the afternoon. Santana had not moved. She was laid face down on her bed, attempting to piece together the night before. She remembered talking to the redhead bitch in the toilets. She remembered spraying their costumes with champagne. She remembered Jess and Brittany leaving early. And she almost remembered a taxi journey home with Rachel. Almost. She was laid in her underwear, and groaned as she attempted to lift her head off the pillow.

After about ten minutes of struggling, she had managed to roll onto her back, and sit up in bed propping herself up on the pillows as her head pounded. Her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth and her head felt stuffy. All of her limbs ached, and even her skin felt sore. She needed water. She was about to attempt to swing her legs out of bed when she noticed the note on her bedside table, and next to it, a large glass of water. She picked both up and read the note as she drank desperately

**Heyllo sobEr SantaNAna **(drunk her couldn't even spell her own name?)  
><strong>Here's SOme watter fOr the morning<strong>**  
><strong>**you Will nEED it!****  
><strong>**CAll QuinnsweETiePIecupCAkeGirl **(what?)**  
><strong>**Loooove drunk Sanyy**

She frowned as she set the glass back on the little table. She couldn't decide whether she was ashamed or proud. Hmm. This was going on the fridge. She managed to get to her feet, and waited until the room stopped spinning before padding through to the kitchen, and sticking the note to the fridge with a magnet, next to Quinn's previous note. She made a large pot of strong black coffee and drank two cups before waddling to the shower gingerly.

Once she was showered and dressed, she noticed the little flashing light on her phone, indicating a text message. It was from Brittany

**Wanna come for breakfast? Full English from a Full English?**** From all of us xx**

Hmm. All of us. Rachel, Brittany _and _Jess. Interesting. She decided against the breakfast, but a walk to possibly clear her head couldn't hurt. Plus, she was kind of running out of food, and if she went shopping afterwards it would save her having to go after school during the week. Wow, she was even productive when hung-over. Maybe she _was _a domestic goddess. She was mulling over the idea as she opened the closet to get her coat, when the vacuum caught her eye. Then again.

She stepped out of the building a few minutes later, hands stuffed in her pockets, and was grateful that it wasn't too windy, or worse, raining. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, unusual for her, and she wore sweats and sneakers, deciding that her hang-over allowed her to look scruffy in public. And it couldn't be worse than last night's outfit either way. She saw the blonde wiping down the large window as she passed the bakery, and grinned as she crossed the street. Quinn's mouth made a small 'o' of amusement as she took in the brunette's appearance, and she raised an eyebrow with a smirk. Santana hadn't intended to stop, but after that look she couldn't resist. She pushed the door open and poked her head round the frame

"You can wipe that smirk off your face, _sweetie-pie_" she said sarkily, and to her credit, Quinn attempted to keep a straight face

"Rough night?" the blonde grinned and Santana pouted

"That obvious?" Quinn snorted in response, "Alright! I get it, I look like shit. Yes, it was a rough night. But a good one"

"No you look fine. Any crazy hi-jinks?" the blonde laughed as she stepped behind the counter, and Santana fully entered the shop, resting her elbows on the counter to lean her head on her hands, "Do you want anything? I could make you a smoothie?"

Santana was about to recall the night before but she was distracted by the last statement "a smoothie? What?"

"Well I have fruit for the cakes and a blender to make mixing easier. I could knock you one up they're good for hangovers. Vitamins" Quinn grinned, only blushing slightly

"Um...sure, yeah I could go for that. Thanks"

"Strawberry and banana do you?" Santana nodded, smiling "Well come out the back" Quinn waved a hand and Santana stepped behind the counter, feeling only a little like she was trespassing, and followed the girl through the door behind the counter to a kitchen area with a small table and chairs

"So, this is where the magic happens, huh?" she gazed around before taking a seat at the small table. The walls were painted a pale lime/mint green coloured, and the air smelt fresh and citrusy.

"Yes indeed. The kitchen of cupcake girl" Quinn spread her arms wide before turning and opening the fridge, bending down to get the fruit from the bottom shelf. Santana's eyes travelled from the appliances on the counter top to Quinn's ass, and she turned away, glaring at the recipes stuck to the notice-board, chastising herself. She inspected her nails, and glanced up again, only for her gaze to fall back to Quinn's ass. She set her eyes firmly on the pictures stuck on the walls and they slowly dipped back down to the blonde. She couldn't help it; it was r_ight there._ She coughed quietly and forced her eyes to remain on the wooden surface of the small table, and was relieved when Quinn stood up.

She winced at the sound of the noisy blender, and was grateful when the blonde switched it off to pour the contents into a glass. She crossed to the table and sat down opposite Santana, holding out the glass, and the brunette took it, her fingers grazing the blonde's. Quinn snapped her hand back, but Santana didn't notice as her stomach lurched. Maybe this smoothie wasn't the best idea. She _was _feeling fragile, and didn't want to hurl all over this spotless kitchen. She took a sip, and corrected herself. It was delicious. Was there nothing this Quinn girl couldn't do? It was almost irritating. The blonde cleared her throat quietly, staring down at her fingers, before she grinned "So, how was your night then?"

"Awesome. We won the fancy dress competition. Although I kind of destroyed our outfits by spraying champagne all over them" Santana frowned and Quinn giggled as she took another sip "Finally met the elusive Jess. Who it turns out, _is _just as lovely and pretty as Britts told us"

"A perfect gentleman?" Quinn smiled

"A perfect gentleman" she nodded with a grin, "Uh, I saw this girl I used to have a giant crush on"

"Oh?" Quinn smiled politely

"Yeah. Total bitch. She's Frenchie in Grease, and made no qualms about rubbing it in my face that she's so much better than me"

"Well if she's being a bitch about it, that's obviously not true" Quinn smiled and

"Yeah, and she was dressed in her Grease costume"

"Well that's just smarmy and unimaginative. Not like your costume, I'm not surprised you won" Santana bit her lip, grinning at the table, before taking another sip of her smoothie to hide the blush creeping up her neck

"Yeah, that's kind of it. Brittany loved her at cupcake by the way, and after four shots each me and Rach decided that Happy Birthday Mercedes would look better as chamber shit day"

"Nice to know my work was put to good use" Quinn smirked as she rolled her eyes

"I'm just proud of my anagram skills. Even when drunk, I'm a genius." She shrugged with a smug grin, and Quinn laughed.

"Well, it seems like quite a night!" the blonde took the empty glass from Santana and turned to place it in the sink

"Yeah, it was hilarious, you should have been there" Santana laughed before realising what she'd said. This time the blush didn't creep up her neck, it just blossomed all over her face. Quinn paused, still facing the wall, and Santana cleared her throat awkwardly. She was suddenly aware of how small this kitchen was. They both made to move towards the door back to the shop floor, and Quinn got there first, leading her out behind the counter again.

The blonde crossed back where she had left her cleaning equipment by the window earlier, but didn't carry on with her chore. She just stood looking everywhere other than at Santana, who stood awkwardly by the counter, staring at the walls, her heart beating rapidly. "So...yeah, thanks for the smoothie. It was great, I'd better go" she spoke quickly as she crossed the room

"Oh, right okay, sure" Quinn smiled,

Santana reached out for the door with her left hand, mere milliseconds before Quinn did the same with her right. They ended up with Quinn's small hand covering Santana's on the doorknob, and they both paused, staring down at their hands. They both leapt back into action in unison, pulling their hands away as if they had been burnt, and apologizing

"I'm so sorry, I thought-"

"No, it was me, I was-"

"It's fine don't-"

"Yeah. Kay, so. I'll...see you around" Santana stuttered, sliding through the door and hurrying off down the street. So that was...weird. She must have been right, there was something going on with that Quinn girl. She was just odd. She acted weird. Santana shrugged off the uneasy feeling in her chest hat was left by the situation, and rounded the corner onto Brittany and Rachel's street. She buzzed the intercom and took the elevator up to their floor. The door was already ajar when she reached it, and she pushed into the living room, seeing the three girls sprawled across the apartment. Jess was stood by the stove, spatula in hand and looking fairly fragile, but happy. Santana noticed the pyjamas shorts and hoody as Brittany's, and smiled when she waved a hand at Santana as she entered "Alright, love? How're you feeling? Want any?" she grinned and gestured to the pan, and Santana grimaced with a shake of her head, Jess' alien accent making her inwardly giggle once again.

Next she spotted Brittany. The girl was sat in sweats and a tank top on one of the kitchen stools, but her body was mainly sprawled over the breakfast bar in front of her. She was face down, her forehead resting on the cool surface, arms laid out by her head. Santana winced at the sight as she shrugged off her coat and sneakers, and smiled as Jess stepped over to the blonde, resting one elbow on the counter, her chin on her palm, and stroking Brittany's hair with the other hand. The blonde lifted her head slowly

"Hey, San." She didn't turn her head at all, and her eyes never left the English girl's, who leaned forward to place a delicate kiss on her lips "Can I have more aspirin?" Santana smiled to herself as she watched the two girls interact so comfortably. They were such a cute couple. She would be so jealous if she wasn't so happy for them, but it was hard to begrudge two people who were clearly so giddy and smitten

"Not for another two hours" Jess pouted sympathetically and stroked her cheek, and Brittany flopped her head back onto the counter with a groan

"So...not sure if I want to know, but where's the midget?" she addressed the question to Jess as she stepped back to the pan to flip the bacon, but her answer came in the form of a grunt of protest from the sofa. She crossed the room and looked over the back of the couch to see Rachel, still in pyjama pants and an old sweater of her Daddy's, curled up in a ball on the couch with a heavy frown. She leaned on the back of the couch and reached down to stroke Rachel's face "Hey pumpkin." Rachel groaned. "That bad huh?" She grunted again and Santana looked up at Jess, grimacing and biting back a giggle. Jess covered her mouth and turned back to the pan, her head bowed

"Don't laugh" Rachel mumbled

"Sorry. You look like a little dormouse" Rachel whined again. Wow, and she'd thought s_he _felt bad

"Food's ready!" Jess announced from the kitchen, placing a plate in front of Brittany as she raised her head again

"You're awesome" the blonde smiled lazily and Jess grinned with a blush. Rachel managed to drag herself into a sitting position, only gagging slightly, and Santana went to collect her plate of food from the kitchen. Jess and Brittany ate at the bar, and Rachel managed half of her food before giving in, while Santana flicked through the TV channels next to Rachel.

"Sunday morning TV sucks" she reached over and stole some of Rachel's remaining bacon, she had reached the cooking channels, watching each one for a few seconds before switching it over

"Now, I'm going to show you how to-" _Flick_

"...the key to a lovely steak is to-" _Flick_

"If you want a really light, smooth-" _Fli__ck_

"Today we're making beautiful red velvet cupcakes" Santana spluttered and choked on the bacon as her heart thumped. Rachel slapped her on the back and she regained her composure, before switching the TV off altogether.

"Oh my God. I can _not _cope with this hangover. Just leave me to die" Rachel whined and slumped sideways onto the sofa cushion

"Britts" Santana stood up and started to head down the hall, "I'm gonna get your Desperate Housewives box set okay?" she was nearly at the door before Jess jumped up

"Don't worry, I'll get it!" She rushed passed Santana, who stood bemused by the door

"Wha-" she frowned, and noticed Jess blushing as she pushed the door to Brittany's room open. Santana glanced in the girl's direction as she turned to go back own the hall, and distinctly saw the brunette kicking a bra away from the line of sight as she reached up to grab the DVD box. _Ahh, that's what_. Santana smirked to herself and raised an eyebrow as she re-entered the living area, noting the blonde's blushing ears. _Brittany, you dawg. _She giggled to herself, but made no comment as Jess returned, passing her the box set without meeting her eye.


	8. Architecture and Construction

So here it is, the apparently much-anticipated Chapter 8!

Before I start (sorry!) I just wanted to thank you ALL for reading! It's actually amazing, I never thought I'd get the appreciation this has and it really does mean so much to me! I absolutely love reading your reviews, and I'm not just saying that (I have a folder in my e-mails to save the really nice ones. Geek). I'm now completely convinced that I have _the _best readers out of everyone on this site! I'm actually sat here with a stupid grin on my face, so _please _keep them coming because I really appreciate hearing your thoughts and opinions on chapters and what you love and don't.

Also special thanks to spashley20 and primrosered for the lovely reviews; CoMe2YoSeNsEs for spreading the word; Baley-fo-life for your grin-inducing review and for being a regular checker; AarumaA for "Domestic Goddess + Cupcake Girl = OTP" and your awesome blog; And Ryoko05 for the LOVELY reviews and for cheating by reading the latest chapter whilst at work!

So thank you guys, and here it is!

…

"I cannot cope with this fucking weather anymore!" Santana huffed as she stepped across the threshold of the girls' apartment, Rachel following closely behind

"Why? I love it!" Brittany gasped from her place the couch "Just look at it! Yeah, okay its cold, but it's also fun and pretty and like, people write songs about it. People only write songs about good things"

"Unless you listen to the Boomtown Rats" Jess interjected, cuddled under a blanket at the blonde's side, and Santana snorted despite herself.

"And you get snuggles" the blonde added with a grin, and Jess straightened up to kiss the tip of her nose

"Well, if I wasn't fucking cold to begin with," She pulled her hat off and unbuttoned her coat, shaking snow off her collar and grimacing "I was once that little douche hit me with a fucking boulder" she hung her coat up and stomped to the kitchen to raid the fridge and Rachel rolled her eyes as she hung her coat up beside Santana's.

It had been almost two months since Mercedes' fancy dress party, and it was the last week of November. Winter had come with a vengeance, covering the city in a thick layer of snow, and the Latina was less than impressed. She hated winter. Hated the cold, hated having to wear four layers to go anywhere, hated that the school was now full of ice-wielding terrorists, hated that she didn't _have _anyone to snuggle with, hated that she had to try and find presents for her brother's kid (even if she did love her nephew more than life itself), and she hated she journey to and from Ohio on icy roads full of moron drivers.

"Just to clarify, ladies" Rachel added sarcastically, "It was a seven year old girl, with hands smaller than my palms"

"Yeah, and that snowball was the size of her head!" Santana called angrily from the kitchen, where they could hear her swearing at the coffee maker, before giving in and joining them in the living room, "I could have died"

"Sounds lethal" Jess smirked and Santana glared

"What are you watching?" Rachel sat down and turned to the TV

"Hocus Pocus, Britt hadn't seen it and on our first date I promised to make her watch it" Jess smiled at the blonde, who grinned back

"Halloween was like, a month ago. Why didn't you watch it then?" Santana frowned

"We were, uh, busy" Brittany's eyes didn't leave the screen. Santana curled her lip at Rachel, who looked mildly disgusted. They both turned their attention back to the TV, trying to ward off mental images

"Oh my God, favourite part!" Jess slapped Brittany's leg excitedly, who stared wide-eyed, and leaned towards the screen. Rachel and Santana grinned at each other and mouthed along with the words before

"Ah-say-into-pie! Oppa-maybe-uppen-die! Ah-say-into-pie! Oppa-maybe-uppen-die! In-kama-koray-ah-ma" Jess, Rachel and Santana all chanted in unison before falling about in fits of giggles. Brittany stared at them all in turn

"You guys are weird." She frowned and turned the volume up to hear over their giggles, occasionally sending wary glances at the other girls. They watched in silence for a few minutes before Jess spoke up again

"Oh, I meant to ask yous, you know if that cupcake place you're always going on about? Does it do vegan ones? It's my Mum's birthday next week and she's gone all health-conscious and animal rights and vegan" Rachel opened her mouth to answer but Santana beat her to it

"Yeah they do." She nodded, eyes still glued to the film, "And for like a dollar she'll do a name or number or special details if you want." Brittany and Rachel exchanged a glance "And if you ask her a few days in advance, she'll do the flavour of your choice too, instead of just whatever random vegan ones she's made that day"

"Oh. Okay cool, thanks" Jess smiled politely, before quirking an eyebrow at Brittany, who grinned

"When did you become the vegan expert?" Rachel smirked and Santana looked at her, eyebrows raised questioningly

"Don't be mean, Rach," Brittany said mockingly "She's not a vegan expert. She's a _cupcake _expert" she smirked and Santana frowned

"What are you talking about?" she looked between the two girls, leaning back and resting her feet on the coffee table

"Nothing. Have you been in there much recently?" Rachel smiled sweetly.

Santana glowered "Not really. Three birthdays at school but that's it." She shrugged, turning her attention back to the TV as Rachel nodded innocently

"So…when do they open?" Jess asked curiously, with a shrug

"Um-" Brittany started and the brunette nudged her under the blanket

"The shop officially opens at like nine, but that weird cupcake chick practically lives there so she'll probably be there whenever" Brittany hid her grin by snuggling into Jess, who nodded seriously

"I see. Thanks."

-ooOoo-

Santana stomped back home when the film had finished, lugging her shopping bags with her. She had spent the morning with Rachel, Christmas shopping. She was proud of herself for getting most of it done, but she still had a few random gifts to buy. As she walked past the row of shops, a man exited the bright bakery, and the warmth and smell of cinnamon wafted out into the street, teasing at Santana's senses. A split second later and she was crossing the threshold into the now empty shop.

"Well hey there, Poppa!" the blonde grinned, glancing over the counter as she slid the cakes into the glass display

"Do you _have _to call me that?" Santana deposited her shopping bags by the window and Quinn snickered

"No, but it's that or Birthday-Cupcake-Teacher-Lady" she called as the deposited the tray back in the kitchen

"Whatever. _Cupcake Girl._" She glared, joining her by the counter

"Awh, tough day on the tracks, there, Starlight?" she tilted her head with a mocking grin, and Santana sighed

"Hilarious. So what smells good? Seeing as your baking clearly surpasses your humour." She smiled sweetly and Quinn giggled

"Cinnamon and apple, fresh from the oven. Awesome to stave off the winter blues. Want to try?" she smiled

"Sure, how much are they?" she reached into a bag for her purse

"Ah, for you no charge. We'll split one?" she reached into the counter

"No I can't do that…again." Santana blushed, but Quinn insisted. _ Damn, cupcake girl._ God, she was good. "Jesus Christ, it's like Christmas in my mouth." She praised

Quinn laughed, "I appreciate the sentiment. You have a way with words" Santana winked, "Well yeah, end of November means it's officially Christmas Cupcake Time!" she waved her fists in celebration

"I didn't realise invisible maracas were part of the holiday celebrations" Santana smirked, and the blonde narrowed her eyes

"Don't you dare mock my celebration dance. But yeah, it's time for holiday cupcakes and gingerbread houses and on the first of December, Operation: Christmas Tree goes live" Quinn grinned

"A real one? In here?" Santana looked around and indicated the floor space sceptically

"No. Here" the blonde mimicked her waving arms over a small space on the counter

"Oh. Right." Santana blushed

"Sorry, I'm a bit of a holidays geek" Quinn admitted

"Well that makes one of us. Well, sort of. I love being home to see my family and everything. I just don't like everything before that. Like, bitches going all death-match just to buy Christmas presents and It's a Wonderful Life playing on _every _channel"

"Well I prefer White Christmas." Quinn informed

"Good to know. I'm a Muppets girl, personally. So anyway, you'll actually be making gingerbread houses?"

"Of course. Best part of Christmas!" Quinn laughed

"I've never _ever _managed to make one that hasn't fallen down in pieces. Like, they just end up looking like world war ruins."

"Well, I could teach you? I mean, if you want. To try and make, like, a successful one?" she stuttered and the brunette smiled

"Not sure it's possible but if it were, I imagine you'd be the girl for the job." She laughed, "Actually that would be cool. Every year my Brother and his wife go out shopping and then for dinner and I look after my nephew, Luke, for the day. Sometimes we go out or finish his Christmas shopping, otherwise we stay in, _pyjamas mandatory_, and bake or just play games and watch movies. So it'd be awesome if we could build a gingerbread house. I mean, one that wouldn't give my grandfather Vietnam flashbacks."

Quinn laughed "That's cute. Well, I'd definitely be willing to pass on my extensive knowledge of gingerbread architecture" she winked "You and Luke can make the Sistine Chapel of baked goods."

"Awesome! So what about you, what are you doing for the holidays?"

"Well, my great-aunt lives in the suburbs in this huge house so we're all going there. She never had any kids and her husband died a few years back but she refuses to down-size, so there's plenty of room for us all. My parents are coming in from Georgia, and me my brother and his girlfriend will be there too, along with my aunt, uncle and their two teenage daughters, are coming from Michigan"

"Sounds…busy"

"Oh yeah. Definitely." She nodded with wide eyes "But the kids are older now, which hopefully means less tantrums, but usually everyone just pairs off and does their own thing, so I'm looking forward to some down time in the attic."

"That's a good thing?" Santana looked at her quizzically

"Yes." She nodded eagerly "My aunt tried to get the girls to stay in there when they were younger and they refused. So seeing as I'm officially the only singleton in the family, I got forced into exchanging rooms. Which seemed unfair at first, until I realised that the place has an awesome view of the city and is packed full of books. It's perfect."

"Sounds pretty cool." She grinned at the twinkle in the blonde's eye "Awesome family Christmases for both of us" Quinn nodded with a grin

"So yeah, construction lessons are in order?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind. I mean, obviously you're really busy, and it's the holidays and everything" Santana remembered what Quinn had said about down time "Like, you're really busy, and I don't want to put you to trouble" she frowned

"That sounds familiar. It's no problem, really. I'd be happy to."

"Cool. Well we'll organise it next time I'm in, for now I have to get all this home!" she indicated the bags and Quinn grinned

"Okay, well I'll see you soon"

"Bye for now, teach. Wow, feels weird not be on the receiving end of that"

"Yep, you're the student now" Quinn nodded and winked

Inappropriate thoughts had flooded Santana's brain and she was rendered speechless. _Why had she winked? What did that mean? _She cleared her throat, feeling the flush creep up her neck "Okay. So. Bye then." She turned and left, frowning all the way home as she mulled over the situation.

-ooOoo-

"Movie niiiiiiight!" Rachel screamed as she answered the door

"Oh yeah. Yeah it is." She said absentmindedly. She had completely lost track of the days; school was especially hectic at the moment, with rehearsals for the Holiday concert being added to her schedule after school. "But I only came to give these back. It's all of Brittany's crap from when your dads came to visit. I had another tidy round and collected it all up. Anyway, it's only like three so I have stuff to do before then. Are we doing it here or at to mine? And whose turn is it to choose tonight?" they both sat down at the breakfast bar and Santana pretended not to notice Brittany and Jess' towel-clad bodies scuttling down the hall from the bathroom to Brittany's bedroom.

"Hey guys!" Rachel did not. "Well if your apartment is all brand new and shiny we shall put it to good use."

"Sounds good. Who's choosing?" Santana poured herself a glass of juice and sat back down next to the shorter girl, whose feet were dangling, barely reaching the cross-bar of the stool's legs

"Well, seeing as it's Jess' first movie night, we figured we'd let her choose." Rachel smiled

"Okay. As long as she's not gonna choose some crap"

"Would I ever?" a voice came from the hallway as Jess entered, Brittany following shortly behind, "I was thinking Muppets Christmas Carol. As it is now officially the month of Christmas"

"Hells. To. The. Yeah." Santana reached forward and gave Jess a high five, and Rachel rolled her eyes

"Awesome. I love that film" Brittany chimed in, "So what are your plans for the day?" she asked the two girls as she wandered into the kitchen, leaning against the counter facing them

"Well I've been tidying, so all I need to do is some marking now and then I'm home-free for the night." Santana shrugged, inspecting her nails

"Nothing." Rachel sighed

"Well, unless you're too busy," Jess crossed to stand behind Brittany, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist "would you mind taking me to that bakery?" Santana's head snapped up, "So I can place that order for my mum?"

"Yeah, can diddly-do" Rachel grinned, and Santana slowly turned to look at her, "What?"

"If you ever say that in my presence again, I will cut you." She stared coldly, and Rachel averted her eyes

"Yeah, we can. When do you wanna go?" Rachel smiled, avoiding Santana's glare

"Whenever you're ready" she shrugged

"Well I'm bored now" Brittany grinned as Jess dug her in the dibs with a glare. Santana groaned and Rachel rolled her eyes "Your eyes will stay that way" Brittany smirked

"Let's go"

They arrived at the bakery a few minutes later, and waited in the short queue, Jess looking around curiously as Brittany craned her neck to see if they had the coconut cupcakes. They reached the front of the queue and Quinn grinned brightly when she saw them

"Oh, hey you guys. How are you all?"

"Awesome" Brittany grinned at Jess

"Not so bad" Rachel shrugged

Santana said nothing, distracted by the glass counter

"Quinn, this is Jess" Brittany introduced

"Ah, the newcomer" Santana glanced up as Quinn looked over at her. She swallowed as Quinn continued "Nice to meet you. I'm Quinn. I own this place"

"It's really cool." Jess smiled "Uh, I wanted to place an order for my mum's birthday…" Santana stopped listening as she watched the blonde behind the counter. Quinn listened intently, occasionally making notes and explaining to Jess._ She uses her hands to talk a lot. _She thought,_ Kind of like Rachel, only less dramatic and irritating. She bites her lip a lot too, when she's listening and paying attention. Does she do that when we talk? I've never noticed. Oh God she's looking. And I'm staring. Now she's staring back. Oh God, look away. You look like a stalker. Look away._

Quinn looked down at her notes and back to Jess, and Santana swallowed, turning back to the counter. Rachel glanced from her to Quinn, suppressing a smirk. "Okay so that's all? What about you guys?" Quinn smiled

"Do you have the coconut ones?"

"…not today. I'm sorry. Please don't cry." Quinn pouted sympathetically but Brittany laughed

"I think I'll cope" she sighed dramatically, "So how are you?"

"Not so bad" the blonde grinned, "Kind of busy what with Christmas coming up. Fancy a butterscotch instead?" Brittany nodded

"What do you do when you're not here?" Rachel asked curiously

"Don't be so nosy!" Santana objected, and Quinn ducked down behind the counter to hide her grin. Santana saw it and smiled to herself, looking away

"It's fine. Uh, I like to read. I love that show, America's Next Top Model" Santana's eyes lit up and she kept her head turned away to hide her face, "I dunno, all of my friends live kind of far away now, but we used to go to the movies and bars and stuff. Normal stuff" she shrugged

"I'll have one of those purple vegan ones" Rachel interrupted, and Quinn crossed to the window

"Well, you should come out with us one night!" Brittany smiled "we go for drinks and stuff, you should come next time" Santana cleared her throat quietly to clear the lump in her throat

"Thanks, will do" Quinn grinned "Anything else?"

"And I'll have that one?" Jess pointed

"Orange chocolate" Quinn answered "Anything for you, Starlight?" Santana didn't look up

"No." she shook her head, and the other three girls smirked before paying, Brittany handing Quinn her phone number as she did so

-ooOoo-

After they exited the bakery, Santana walked home and sighed as she let herself in to the apartment. It looked clean and tidy, but still smelt musty. And she had no food. Which she would need for this evening, this English girl ate even more than she did, and she was pretty sure that the two of them would eradicate all snacks by the end of the night. She finished the marking and headed to the shop, stocking up on popcorn, chocolate and air freshener.

The girls all arrived an hour later, laughing and stamping the snow off their shoes before piling into Santana's living room

"Ooh, popcorn" Jess dived for the bowl and Santana laughed as she rolled her eyes. They all settled on the chair and couch, Brittany pulling Jess to sit on her lap "so there was enough space" and Rachel started to play the movie, Santana, Jess and Brittany singing along to the opening song. As Charles Dickens used Rizzo the Rat to wipe the window clean, Santana's phone buzzed from her pocket, and she pulled it out. One new message.

"Who's texting you? Everyone you talk to is here" Rachel smirked

"I'd like to have a witty comeback for you, hobbit, but I was thinking the same thing. Unknown number" Jess smirked

**Hey it's Quinn. You told me to text you.**

"It's Quinn"

**How do you have my number?**

**You gave me it **Santana frowned

**When?**

**Today?**

She rolled her eyes, "Brittany. Why is Quinn texting me?"

"I gave her your number" she shrugged, eyes on the screen.

"Why?" Rachel frowned and Jess caught her eye

"Well, I don't know mine, so I gave her yours. It's the only number I know off by heart" Brittany shrugged again

"Awh, thanks B" Santana smiled, and Jess winked at Brittany as Rachel smirked

**Hey, sorry cupcake girl. This is Santana. B just explained, she gave you my number not hers, S**

**Oh. Why? –Q**

**Only number she knows :P S**

**I see. You're with her? Q**

**Yeah, it's movie night :) S**

**Ah, I see. Well give Brittany my number then she'll have it for next time :) Q x**

**I'll make sure you're invited :) xx**

**First construction lesson one night next week? Xx**

**Sounds good. Tuesday? :) xx**

**Awesome, see you then xx**

Santana turned her attention back to the film.


	9. Guest Baker

"Hey, Starlight. How are you?" Quinn grinned as she unlocked the door, standing back to let the Latina in from the cold

"Not so bad. How's cupcake girl?" she pulled off her coat as the blonde locked the door behind her. Truthfully, she'd had an awful day. Most of her classes were starting to get restless waiting for the Christmas break, the lunchtime rehearsal for the concert in a few weeks had gone horribly, and she found a hole in her shoe as she was walking home through the snow.

"I'm pretty good. I've already made the gingerbread, because otherwise we'd be here for hours." She grinned, gesturing for Santana to follow her behind the counter and into the kitchen.

"Okay cool"

"But if you want I'll give you a recipe for good gingerbread that will be sturdy enough to hold structurally." She smiled, and Santana quirked an eyebrow, looking impressed as the blonde continued "So, the gingerbread is already cut out. When you do it you'll want to print out templates and use them to cut the gingerbread. I also have templates if you want some." She blushed and Santana nodded gratefully

"Cool okay." Quinn handed her an apron. It was one of those cute ones that the blonde wore, that tied around your waist instead of being full-body, and seemed to be more for decoration than purpose, and Santana began to try and tie it behind her back, "Oh God, turn around." Quinn laughed, and Santana obliged. She felt the girl's hands brush her lower back as she tied it tight and Santana turned back, grinning her thanks. "Okay, you are going to make the royal icing while I get the gingerbread and check it's cooled" Santana nodded. She noticed Quinn had lined up all of the ingredients and equipment already on the counter, and grinned, setting about her task. "You're very quiet today"

"Just a little tired I guess. Plus you're being _really _bossy and I'd hate to get in trouble with the teacher" she said, mock-seriously, and Quinn shook her head

"Well you know it's a serious business. Architecture is a competitive occupation; I'm training you for the real world." She smirked and Santana laughed. The blonde leaned over to a small stereo, and quiet music began to play.

Santana noticed it was The Beach Boys "Really? The Beach Boys?"

"Yeah, so what? I like them" Quinn pouted

"Well, so do I but it's like a million degrees below out there. Hardly seasonal music for someone who loves the holidays" She teased

"Exactly. Nothing like some summer music to make you forget that you're risking frostbite every minute you're outside." She laughed

"Okay, I'm done" the brunette announced. Quinn was stood behind her, and leaned around her body to check the consistency. Santana gulped.

The blonde nodded with a smile "Perfect. Okay, fill the piping bag with icing," Santana did as she was told and Quinn slid the tray of gingerbread across between them. She bit her lip nervously, frowning and Quinn smiled, "Don't worry, it's not life or death"

"I just fear for the lives of those tiny gingerbread children." Santana said seriously, "I'd hate to be the cause of their amputation due to collapsing buildings"

"I just made them for fun. Although I intended to amputate them in a whole different way when we're done" Quinn smiled

"You made them for that sole purpose? You have a cold, cold heart, Quinn Fabray" she shook her head and the blonde narrowed her eyes dangerously

"Like lambs to the slaughter." Santana laughed, "Anyway. So, first you're going to pipe the icing straight onto the board in an L shape. Then you put the first wall on one line, and I'll hold it." Santana did as she was told, slightly warily, and Quinn held the wall in place, "Right, now put the next piece on the other line, and pipe a line up between them to stick them together" Santana did so, slightly clumsily, and blushed. Wow, Quinn really was stood very close.

"How's that?"

"Awesome. Well done it's great. Now I'll keep hold of these, and you do the third wall. Yeah, that's it, perfect." Quinn let go and Santana flinched

"Wow. It stays stood. I am impressed." Santana nodded and grinned at the blonde

"You've never even gotten _this _far before?" she quirked an eyebrow and the brunette looked down at her hands, shaking her head "That's cute. Okay, next. Now you do the fourth wall, which is kind of tricky because you don't have as much space"

"Okay" Santana frowned and picked up the last wall. Quinn watched with a small smile as she did so. Santana gave a little squeal and flinched, taking a deep breath as her wrist knocked the opposite wall. She stared for a few seconds, and let out a deep sigh of relief when it didn't fall, swallowing nervously as the blonde giggled next to her "It's not funny. I thought there was going to be a disaster"

"Don't worry, even in gingerbread-world, a wrist to the wall doesn't register on the Richter scale" she laughed and Santana blushed

"What's next, Blondie?" Santana demanded and Quinn grinned

"That's a new one. Right, now pipe a line all over the top, so we can attach the roof. Yeah. I don't know how you couldn't do this, you're managing fine!"

"Well, you're telling me what to do, and there isn't a six-year-old trying to stick candy to it as we're going along"

"Well, next time we'll do time trials and distraction tests and see if your gingerbread town can withstand the wrath of Quinn Fabray" she said in a dramatic voice and Santana giggled, "Now put the roof on" She handed Santana one half of the roof, and she leaned forwards to place it on top of the walls, "Hold, on make sure its lined up" Quinn reached over, her hands covering the brunette's, to move the roof into position. Santana immediately let go of the gingerbread as she felt lightning pulse through her hands, and it landed too far up, sticking to the icing. "Why did you let go?" Quinn laughed

"I-" she swallowed "I don't know. Sorry"

"It's okay, just…let me just…" Quinn leaned forward to slide the roof down and Santana inhaled as she did so. _Oh God. She smells like limes. And baking. That's a good smell. She has a nice smell._ "There. You have to make sure the top matches up with the gable peak so they both fit. Okay, I'll hold this side while you do the other side" She grinned and Santana swallowed.

"Okay" Her chest felt tight. _Oh God, is this a heart attack? Or a stroke? Just my luck to have a stroke in front of a pretty girl, and my face will go all lopsided and I'll look weird. How embarrassing._ "There, is that oaky?"

"That is perfect." the blonde beamed at her and Santana couldn't stop a wide grin spreading across her flushed face. She exhaled with relief "You're doing really well. Now you hold them both so they stick."

"Okay" she nodded

"It looks good. Slightly lopsided, of course, but better than my first one" Quinn shrugged

"Yeah but did you have help? And by help I mean, did you have blonde Betty Crocker at your side?" Santana raised an eyebrow

Quinn gave a loud laugh, and the brunette smiled in response "No, I didn't. But you're still doing well. Just accept a compliment!"

"Okay, sorry, teach" Santana rolled her eyes

"Right, that should by okay to let go of now" the blonde beamed "Now you just have to decorate it." Quinn filled another piping bag and Santana grabbed the bag of candy, "I did extra bits to be doors and windows, too. Shall I pipe them on and you can start sticking all the extra crap on?"

"Sounds awesome." They worked quickly and both stood back in appreciation when they were done.

"Not bad, Lopez. You did a pretty good job" Quinn grinned at her and the brunette blushed "I like the Skittle edging"

"Thank you. I have to say, your candy cane chimney looks very fetching" she grinned.

"You know what? This will be the first gingerbread house on display! Follow me" she picked up the house and led Santana out into the shop, placing it on top of the glass counter, and stepped back with a flourish "Ta-Da!"

"Is it not a little…lopsided…to be on display?" Santana blushed and handed Quinn one of the gingerbread men "No-one will buy them if they think they all look like that"

Quinn grinned, taking a big bite, "Nah, I'll just put a note next to it saying 'Made by our guest baker: Santana Lopez'"

"Oh God no. Don't." _Imagine what Rachel, Brittany and Jess would say. _

"Cupcake Girl Number Two?" Quinn suggested with a shrug

"That's more like it" Santana winked, nodding coolly before breaking out into a grin. _God, even her gingerbread was perfection._ "Well, thank you for that. Luke will be very impressed with Auntie San's newfound skills!"

"It's no problem"

"Okay, I should probably get home, it's getting late" Santana jerked a thumb over her shoulder

"Yeah, me too. Just let me turn everything off and I'll be right with you" she handed Santana's coat from the kitchen and shrugged her own on, before turning off all lights and appliances, and meeting the brunette by the door. She followed Santana out, setting the alarm as she went, and pulled the door shut. Quinn gave a small smile as she locked the door, and they stood there while Santana buttoned her coat up against the cold, and wrapped her scarf around her neck, before they walked up the street in silence, until they got to the corner where they would split off.

"Okay so, I'll probably see you later in the week?" Quinn shrugged

"Yeah, probably. I mean, I think we're going for drinks soon, so I'll text you" Santana smiled

"Yeah, that would be cool. Be nice to see you somewhere other than the bakery" Quinn laughed, a little awkwardly. The bobble on her woolly hat jiggled as she nodded her head back in the direction of her shop. _She looks good in that hat. I can't pull off bobble hats at all, but she looks cute. Especially when she laughs and it jiggles like that. Jealous._

"Or my apartment"

"Oh yeah, or your apartment…" she trailed off and grinned at Santana. _ Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that gingerbread. My stomach feels all funny. _She gave Quinn a small smile, and the blonde started to bite her lip. _Wow, she really does_ _bite her lip a lot. How did I not notice? Oh God, now I'm staring again. _ She swallowed. _Quinn really is pretty._ The blonde looked down at the snow by her feet, taking a deep breath, and Santana could see her blushing, and felt her own cheeks growing hot, despite the cold. Quinn looked up again and the brunette felt her heart lurch, and smiled awkwardly. _ It's so cold. Oh, she's stood quite close. Maybe we should huddle together for warmth. Like penguins. Not like the buddy method. Although. No, not like the buddy method. Like penguins. Is it penguins that do that? Either way, I'd huddle with Quinn. Quinn would probably make a good huddler actually. Good for cuddles, coz she's kind of shorter than me but not by much._ She frowned thoughtfully

"Penny for your thoughts?" Quinn raised an eyebrow and Santana paused wordlessly

"Um…it's cold. Especially compared to that kitchen" Santana nodded convincingly, watching as their breath rose in steam clouds around them

"I'm sure you'll be fine. At least it's not snowing." She shrugged "Just wrap up warm" Quinn reached up to tuck Santana's scarf into her coat. The blonde looked up into her eyes and Santana gave a small, nervous smile. _Okay now she's stood close. _ They were silent as they stood there; Santana didn't dare move. Quinn was stood close enough for her to see the movement in Quinn's neck, though their eyes never left each other's, as the girl swallowed, and she licked her lips before the blonde broke the silence in a soft voice "Okay" she looked down at her hands, still resting on Santana's coat, and pulled them away "So, let me know you got home safe. I don't want you freezing of hypothermia somewhere"

"Uh, yeah" Santana coughed "I'm sure I'll, uh, I'll be fine" she smiled, "Same to you"

Quinn nodded and bit her lip, before leaning forward and wrapping an arm around Santana's waist. The brunette curled her arms around her back, and felt the blonde squeeze slightly. She tilted her head to rest her chin in the crook of the other girl's neck, inhaling slowly. There was that smell of limes again. She smiled to herself as Quinn squeezed a little tighter for a second, before pulling away. They grinned at each other and Quinn fiddled with her gloves.

"Okay, I'll see you later"

"See you in the week, Cupcake Girl"

"Bye, Guest-Baker-Cupcake-Girl-Number-Two" she grinned and they both turned to walk away. Santana bit the inside of her cheek, before glancing back over her shoulder. _Oh God, she saw me looking._ She gave a little wave and saw Quinn grin before waving back. _Awkward, now I look like a stalker._

As she rounded the corner, she felt soft flakes of snow on her face, and looked up at a streetlight to see them floating down to the ground. She pulled out her phone

**You jinxed it, CG xx**

**Damn! My bad. I'm snuggled at home, warming up. Don't freeze ;) xxx**

**Ugh. Jealous. Almost home, I'll try not to :P xxx**


	10. Floor Six

"Hey. Friday." came Rachel's muffled voice

"What are you eating?" Santana frowned into the phone

"Vegan cupcake"

Santana's stomach fluttered. She must be hungry. "I see. Yeah, Friday. So?"

"Britts just text me" she swallowed her mouthful "And she suggested Friday for drinks. You, me, Britts, Jess. You free?

"Yeah sounds good. Oh, and Quinn." She said casually "You know... Britts and her stupid big mouth promised we'd tell her next time we go out so...I'll have to text her"

"...Okay" Rachel grinned

"Right well my lunch break is nearly over so I'd better go" she sighed heavily as she stared around the empty classroom

"Okay, see you" she disconnected and dropped her phone back into her bag. The next period had been dedicated to rehearsing for the Holiday Concert in just two days time. They had made progress recently; it was just still sort of...rusty. A few minutes later the bell rang and students started to file into the room, instrument cases and bags swinging against their legs before they all thumped them down on the tables.

"Okay, quiet down guys!" she shouted over the din "Come on, get your instruments out and then we'll all move over to the piano and begin."

"Damn, Miss Lopez." A tall boy with ridiculously spiky gelled hair stood next to her, pouting as he looked her up and down

"...Alex." she stared at him before clicking her hands near her face "Up here, lazy eye. Can I help you?"

"You're looking _fine_ today" he winked as he opened his case. Santana smirked. She knew that. She was wearing a bright red shirt and black pencil skirt with red heels (which she immediately regretted as soon as her foot hit the icy streets), her hair was falling around her shoulders with that casual un-styled look that had taken her an hour to perfect, and she knew she looked good.

"...thanks. It means a lot coming from a hormonally charged junior ape-man such as yourself" She smiled as he frowned slightly

"Hey! I'm a senior and a badass!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realise. You don't look old enough to be a senior. And you sure as hell weren't put ahead a year." He scowled "Awh don't worry, some people just hit puberty later than others!" she patted his arm with a patronizing smile "Now get your violin, badboy" and crossed to the piano. "Okay guys! Come on over, bring your instruments and let's go from the top."

They started with Let It Snow, and worked through Santa Baby and Baby Its Cold Outside before Santana let them all pause to take a break. She sat tinkling at the piano as the kids all spread out across the room, eating, talking laughing and throwing crap. She rolled her eyes as her protests fell on deaf ears. Surprise, surprise. She started playing different show tunes, singing quietly to herself.

"You have a really nice voice, Miss L" came a voice from over her shoulder. She turned to see a short, willowy girl peering at her with a small smile. It was Sophie, a shy girl in one of her sophomore classes, she thought, and although she was quiet she was a very good student

"Well thanks, Soph. Are you alright?"

"Yeah. What are you playing?" Santana suspected that the girl didn't have many friends in this group so she indulged her

"Just some show tunes. Starlight Express, Cats, Joseph, Chicago. Do you know them?"

"Some" she nodded with a smile "Can you play Mr Mistoffelees?" she asked and Santana grinned before starting the introduction music. She girl's face split into a wide grin and she sang along with Santana quietly. "You're cool, Miss Lopez."

Santana grinned, ignoring the lump in her throat "Thanks, Soph. You have good taste" she joked

"You're way better than last year's teacher. He was kind of angry all the time." The girl frowned, reminiscing

"I see. I never met him" she shrugged indifferently

"And he hated kids."

"Not good"

"And he was a little racist."

"Oh." Santana was speechless.

"So you're way better" Sophie grinned and turned to walk off, heading back to the drum kit. Well that was...interesting. She did teach some pretty good kids, and made a mental note to find out when Sophie's birthday was, and what cake she liked. She'd have to tell Quinn to make it extra special, which she was sure the girl would manage effortlessly. Everything she did seemed effortless. Nothing was too much hassle or too difficult, she just took everything in her stride with that beautiful grin.

"Okay, come on back, let's carry on!"

The students all filed back over to the arc of chairs around the piano and took their places.

"Hey, Miss Lopez?" she glanced up. It was Jeremy, "Who sings this one originally?" she squinted at the sheet music he held up

"Which one is it?" she frowned, and he rolled his eyes exaggeratedly

"It's Let It Snow" he grinned

"Oh. Um...I...I don't know. Um, I know Doris Day sang it but I don't think that was the original" she frowned, raising her voice to address the group "Who originally sang Let It Snow?"

"VAUGHN MONROE!" a voice shouted from the back, startling Santana. The group slowly turned, wide-eyed, to look at the small girl sat at the drum kit "...just me then?" she blushed "...okay, guys. Never mind."

Santana chuckled "Thanks, Sophie. So...Vaugh Monroe."

"Who's he?" Jeremy raised an eyebrow and Santana shrugged with a laugh

"No idea."

-ooOoo-

She returned home, exhausted, that night and slumped down on the couch, pulling out her phone as she did so.

**Hey CG, how's Friday? Xxx**

**Starlight. Sounds good, why? Xxx**

**We're going for drinks, you in? :D Xxx**

**Yes, definitely. Thanks for the invite xxxx**

**Of course ;D See you then, wanna meet at mine and I'll take you to B+R's? Xxxx**

**Perfect :D xxxx**

She grinned and rolled over to switch on the TV, flicking through the channels. She settled on America's Next Top Model with a smile and grabbed her phone from the coffee table again

**Quinn is coming. Meeting her n then we'll come to yours? S x**

**Sounds awesome :D we going usual place? R xx**

**Yup. Cool xx**

Maybe she should have told Quinn where they were going. It had completely slipped her mind when she'd invited her; it was just their usual place to her.

-ooOoo-

Santana was trudging home from the tube station the next day, frowning after what had been, frankly, a horrific day. The concert was tomorrow and God know what would happen. She paused on the street corner, which she unconsciously referred to as her and Quinn's street corner, and glanced down towards the bakery. It had been a pretty crappy day. A cupcake wouldn't hurt, even if it did mean talking to weird cupcake girl again

She made a split second decision and turned on her heel, heading down towards the bakery, pushing the door open with a grin. "Well hey there!" Quinn called over the shoulder of the man she was serving "Thank you, sir! Hope to see you again!" she grinned as the man left and Santana stepped forward

"Cupcake Girl. How goes it?" she smiled

"Not so bad. Kind of a quiet day but could be worse. Although I did mean to put up the new" she made air quotes "'sound system', but that didn't happen. What about you?" the blonde laughed

"Horrible day. Got any red velvet? Or something fruity? Or something I haven't tried?" she pouted as she leaned on the counter and Quinn giggled, handing her a carrot cupcake with a smile. Santana took a large bite, giving an appreciative groan as she did so, "Wad oo day abou' da sou siddem?"

"Sexy. I'm sorry?" Quinn raised an eyebrow and Santana swallowed her mouthful

"What did you say about a sound system?" she repeated

"This stupid thing" she pointed to the large box on he counter behind us "Sam came to help me but right when we were about to stat his girlfriend rang and he had to leave. Surprise, surprise. I _do_ just need to like, plug it in and then run the wires up there "she pointed to the ceiling "and stick the speakers to the wall, but I didn't really want to do it by myself. I was kind of busy, and when it wasn't busy I didn't really have the energy" she sighed, pouting, before grinning again, and Santana laughed

"Well, wanna do it now? I'll help" she shrugged. _Why did I say that? Curse my helpful nature. I'm too nice._

"What? No, I wasn't hinting or anything" the eyebrow was back

"Oh come on, you'll be closing soon, right? Just lock up and flip the sign and we'll put it up. Then you can have sweet, sweet music all day long tomorrow" she winked and Quinn frowned thoughtfully, narrowing her eyes

"Hmm. I don't know, are you sure? You don't have to help, I'll just do it in lunch tomorrow, I don't mind" she shook her head with a smiled as Santana rolled her eyes. She didn't reply, simply crossing to the door and flipping the sign with a flourish "Okay. Thanks."

The blonde wandered into the kitchen as Santana pulled off her coat and stared to unpack the box, returning with a step ladder. Santana set the sound system and speakers on the counter and looked expectantly at the blonde. "Okay, let's do this"

"Are you going up the ladder or am I?" Quinn bit her lip, glancing around nervously

"By the look on your face, I'd say I am" Santana laughed, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly

"Sorry. I don't really like heights." She blushed and Santana nudged her with an elbow "Don't worry I don't mind." She dragged the step ladder over into the corner, "Okay, pass me the hooky thing to attach it to the wall..." she frowned at the blonde below her as Quinn picked up and looked through the various packets

"These ones?" she held them up with a frown

"Um...I think so. Looks like it?" Santana shrugged and took the packet from the blonde.

Once both of the speakers we're attached, somewhat haphazardly, to the corners of the room, Quinn plugged in the sound system and switched it on. "Oh. Uh, I don't have any...do have, like, an iPod or something I can plug in? Check it works?" Santana raised an eyebrow before rifling through her bag and handing over her purple nano "Thanks. I'll obviously bring mine tomorrow but I didn't bring it today"

She leaned down and slotted the iPod into the dock on top of the base unit, before frowning at the remote in her hand "I hate technology" she sighed, giving in and passing the remote to Santana. The brunette completely ignored it, staring stonily at Quinn as she leaned down and pressed a single button the stereo. The system burst into life and Pencil Full of Lead filled the room.

"It works!" Santana grinned and threw her arms up and Quinn grinned and copied her motion, both of them jumping up and down in celebration. They stopped jumping, still in fits of giggled, and Santana blushed "Sorry about the song, by the way. It's just what I was listening to on the way home"

"No it's okay. Paulo Nutini, I like him" Quinn shook her head as she grinned at the brunette. Santana grinned as she leaned against the counter with the blonde stood next to her.

"Me too, it's my favourite song" she shrugged, and Quinn chuckled. A silence settled as they stood, listening to the music fill the room, and Santana swallowed. The skin of Quinn's arm was exposed, and kept brushing against her arm. _She's stood very close. __Is there just no personal__ space in this relationship? Not__ relationship like_ that._ Just their friendship. Relationship sounded weird._

"So anyway..." Quinn gave a small cough and smiled

"Yeah. Well, that works, clearly. So, yeah, I guess I'll be heading home." She turned to stand in front of the blonde, and pulled her iPod out of the stereo

"Cool, thank you for your help" Quinn smiled and nodded, and there was another long silence. _Oh God, now I'm stood freakishly close. My personal boundary ruled have go__ne out the freaking window._

"It's not problem. Don't worry. So I'll see you Friday then!" She pulled her coat on and headed towards the door again, and Quinn grinned

"Yeah definitely. Should be fun" Santana nodded with a grin, before waving goodbye.

-ooOoo-

Friday came around quickly and Santana grinned at her reflection in the mirror as she added the finishing touches. She was happy with her outfit, and smiled when she heard the buzz of the intercom, allowing Quinn entry to the building with a grin. The blonde appeared at the door a few minutes later

"Hey, did you know your elevator's fixed?" she asked happily, pulling her jacket off

"No way really? So I climbed up ten fucking flights today for no reason? Ugh, awesome" she rolled her eyes and finished applying her lip gloss before grabbing her coat and leaving the apartment.

They stood in the hallway beside the closed elevator doors, Santana bashing the button repeatedly. "Oh my God, how long is this taking?" They had been stood there for at least five minutes, and she was growing impatient

"I know, the stairs would have been quicker" Quinn laughed, and Santana looked horrified

"Well be my guest, Blondie, I'll just wait for this asshole to stop messing around and get up here!" she sighed and Quinn laughed, before they heard the ping as the elevator reached their floor. "Finally!" Santana rolled her eyes, and watched as the doors slowly slid open.

They both stood in silence, watching as an old man with a walker came tottering out of the doors.

Santana gulped. The girls looked at each other, Quinn trying to hide an amused smile

"I'm going to hell." The brunette nodded as Quinn stepped into the elevator

"Yup."

She pressed the ground floor button, and the elevator lurched and started to travel downwards.

Floor 9. Floor 8. Floor 7. Floor-

"What was that?" Quinn frowned, looking alarmed

"Probably nothing" Santana shrugged as they stood side by side in the elevator.

Floor 6. Floor 7. Floor 6. Floor 7.

"Santana what's it doing?" Quinn nodded to the flashing light indicating which floor they were on.

"Uh…I don't know. Does it feel like we're moving? Are we moving?" she looked at Quinn with wide eyes and a frown, and the blonde shrugged

"I don't think so." She grimaced and Santana rolled her eyes, reaching for the alarm button. She pressed it a few times, but got no response

"This. Is. Awesome." She sighed, button bashing the alarm again until they got a response

"Hey, sorry." He didn't sound sorry. "It's broken again. I've called the guy, could be anything from ten minutes to an hour."

"Holy shit, an hour?" Santana looked shocked at Quinn's expletive, before sighing and sliding down to sit on the floor

"No fucking way. I'll text Rach" she pulled out her phone to inform the other girls, but had no signal "Ugh! No signal. Do you have service?" she frowned

The blonde rifled through her bag as she chewed on her lip, eventually pulling out her phone "Nope, none. See, this is karma. For being mean to that old man" Quinn grinned and Santana pouted up at her in protest

"I didn't mean to! It wasn't like that!" she frowned, and Quinn laughed

"Well, we'd better hope it's a lot less than an hour. You owe me a drink" she crossed her legs and dropped down onto the floor beside her

"Tell me about it." Santana sighed, gazing around the elevator as the blonde bit her lip "You're not scared or anything are you? Like, claustrophobic?" she grimaced and Quinn rolled her eyes

"I wasn't until you suggested it!" She glanced from wall to wall nervously "I dunno. Not really. Have you ever been stuck in an elevator before?"

"Yeah. My second week in this building. I had a date, and I was going down in the elevator and this happened. Floor six is my fucking downfall" she laughed

"Oh God, what happened?" Quinn giggled, and Santana felt her shoulder brush against her own as her body shook

"She thought I'd stood her up. I got out of the elevator and got like…about twelve texts and five messages from her, calling me a bitch and going, like, completely crazy" she laughed

Quinn looked horrified "Well, suppose it's lucky you got out of that one then, she sounds insane"

"Oh no, we dated for two months afterwards. But yeah, she was. She left me because I didn't call her back." She laughed, and Quinn gaped "And took my favourite sweater and a freshly made lasagne with her. Bitch."

"How dare she?" Quinn hissed, mock-angrily, and Santana giggled

"What about you? Been stuck in an elevator before?"

"Nope, never. Congratulations, you're taking my elevator virginity" she said thoughtfully, and Santana's chest suddenly felt very tight. Oh, maybe she was claustrophobic. She coughed away the lump in her throat before the blonde spoke again "So who would be the worst person for you to be stuck in an elevator with?"

"Uh…I don't know. I would say Rachel on an irritating day, but that seems like cheating"

"Why?" Quinn frowned

"Well, when I got stuck in this elevator before?" the blonde nodded "I was stuck in here _with Rachel_. And yes, it _was_ an irritating day. So I've already survived that. Um, yeah, probably psycho-ex." Quinn nodded, unsurprised "Unless she brought a lasagne." They both laughed

"Mine would probably be my brother's girlfriend." Santana raised a questioning eyebrow and Quinn continued "She's mean. Well, she can be okay sometimes, but my brother and I used to be really close, and we drifted coz of her and she's jealous of how often he visits me and stuff. She's just weird, and bitchy and not nice." The brunette nodded her understanding, and Quinn spun herself round so she was facing the Latina. She was wearing a skirt, and Santana forced her eyes not to dart downwards. She straightened her skirt and posed another question "Okay, if you could be trapped with anyone who would it be?"

The lump was back. _Hmm, someone famous, maybe? Nah, they'd probably be boring and not live up to her expectations. Someone__ she hadn't seen for a long time? Nah, she had Facebook for that._ "I have no idea" she shrugged

"Oh come on," Quinn placed a hand on her leg "you must have someone?" Oh God.

"Um…no not really." She swallowed the lump in her throat and cleared her throat as her chest felt tight again, a blush starting to creep up her neck "What about you?" she looked up at the blonde and licked her lips.

Quinn's eyes darted to the movement of her tongue and back to her dark eyes before she cleared her throat. "Yeah, no one." She shrugged with a small smile, and Santana nodded thoughtfully. Next thing they knew, the floor lurched and their eyes darted to the indicator light as it started to travel towards the ground floor once again.

"We're moving" Santana stated, and Quinn get to her feet

"Yes we are" She held out a hand to pull Santana up. She found her feet, stood in front of the blonde, their faces a few inches apart, and she bit her lip nervously "Well congratulations. You were nowhere near as irritating as Berry."

The escalator stopped and Quinn's mouth opened in shock "So you're saying I was irritating?" she demanded, and Santana laughed

"Well…" she pulled an innocent face as the doors slid open and the blonde pushed her out towards the foyer with a laugh.


	11. Dreaming of You

Quinn had seemed surprised at first. They arrived at the bar and Santana watched as her mouth dropped open "Oh. I didn't realise we were...okay."

"I forgot to tell you, what with the elevator and everything, sorry. But once a month we kind of have karaoke night. You don't mind?" she raised an eyebrow and followed the other three girls through the doors to the bar, holding the door open for the blonde

"No it's cool. But I'm not singing Time of My Life with you, if that's your plan. I have to draw the line somewhere" she smirked

"Damn!" Santana chuckled "I've been practising the lift and everything!" they followed the others to the bar and ordered drinks, Jess also insisting on a round of shots, which they necked back with a grimace. Santana laughed when she saw the blonde baker's screwed-up face.

"Okay, what shall I sing first?" Rachel leaned down the bar and grabbed the song book, rifling through the possibilities

"So, do you all sing?" Quinn asked with a nervous smile, and Brittany laughed

"Don't worry, we won't force you. Rachel obviously sings-"

"Obviously?"

"She's an actress. Off-Broadway, waiting for her big break" Santana informed her, speaking quietly in her ear. Quinn gulped and took a long swig of her drink

"I don't usually sing but maybe a couple of stupid ones" Brittany continued with a shrug, and Jess wrapped an arm around her waist, whispering in her ear with a grin

"And then I surpass them all with my awesome skills" Santana shrugged

"Modest as ever, San" Rachel raised an eyebrow and Santana smiled sweetly

"Are you gonna sing, Quinn?" Jess laughed

"Um...I don't know. Maybe. Depends how much I drink" she reasoned with a raised eyebrow, and Santana snickered

"Well then I'd better buy you another drink, Cupcake Girl!" she grinned and ordered another drink for them both. Quinn accepted it with a nod and a grin before narrowing her eyes dramatically

"Anyone would think you're trying to get me drunk" she winked and Santana stuttered. The blonde laughed when Santana couldn't give an answer. She gulped and gave the blonde a polite smile, before looking away to hide her blush.

-ooOoo-

A few hours, and lots of drinks, later and they were all cheering as Rachel finished her song with a dramatic bow

"She is _really _good!" Quinn said as Rachel made her way back across t the able

"Yeah, don't tell her that or we won't hear the end of it!" Brittany laughed as the girl slid into the booth beside Santana and Quinn

"I love hearing you sing, hobbit" Santana smiled sweetly "It makes me feel better about how good my own voice is in comparison"

"Modest as ever" Quinn teased as Rachel pouted

"Ha ha. You're hilarious. We all know my rendition of the classic Dreaming by Blondie was as flawless as all of my performances have ever been. I gave _Debbie Harry_ a run for her money" She shot back and Santana rolled her eyes

"I need another drink." Jess announced "Who wants one?"

"Oh, I'll come with you." Quinn slid past Santana and Rachel, "Anyone fancy shots?" There was a cheer from the three remaining girls and they turned in the direction of the bar

"Well look at us. Got our newbies trained to get the drinks. Not bad." Santana snickered and Brittany grinned as she glanced over at her girlfriend

"Yeah, it's nice to have new people don't you think?" Rachel shrugged

"What, are we not good enough for you now?" Brittany narrowed her eyes and Rachel rolled her eyes with a grin "But I know what you mean. It's new and different"

Santana's eyes flashed across to the blonde at the bar. _ They're right; it is nice to hang out with new people. Quinn. Nice to see her outside of the bakery, and to see underneath the apron. I mean, in normal clothes. Not actually under the apron. Besides, Quinn always wears skirts. So under the apron also means...yeah anyway._

The girls returned, Quinn carrying a tray with two shots each, and they all toasted to friendship before knocking them back, as a voice came over the sound system "Okay, next up we have Jess!" She got up from her seat with a small smile, and stepped up to the stage, taking the microphone. Brittany slid round to the other side of the booth so she had a full view of the stage, pushing Rachel off the other end, who sat opposite with a huff, instead. That was until the music started, when they all grinned with recognition. Jess began to sing. Brittany had been right, not only was she beautiful and apparently an amazing dancer, she _could _sing. Rachel and Santana took in Brittany's proud face and exchanged a smile, dancing in their seats as Jess reached the chorus

"I knew when we collided, you're the one I have decided, who's one of my kind" she pointed at Brittany "Hey soul sister, ain't that mister mister on the radio stereo, the way you move ain't fair you know. Hey soul sister I don't wanna miss a single thing you do tonight" they all cheered, grinning, and Quinn leaned over to Santana

"I fucking _love_ this song!" Santana's mouth dropped open at Quinn's dropping of the F-Bomb. She must be drunk. They stood and cheered when Jess finished, and the DJ spoke up again "Okay Jess, stay right where you are because next up is Brittany and Jess!" Brittany cheered and finished her second shot before joining her girlfriend on podium.

The music started and the blonde began to sing, "Don't go breaking my heart..."

"I couldn't if I tried..." Jess joined in, and the three girls in the booth cheered and Santana stuck two fingers in her mouth to whistle

"Oh my God you can do that thing with your fingers!" Quinn stared at her open mouthed

"Oh, I can do lots of things with my fingers" she immediately responded with a wide grin, before clapping a hand over her mouth, wide eyed with horror. Rachel snorted loudly from the other side of the booth, before attempting to hide it and pretend she hadn't been listening. Santana blushed as she took in Quinn's mildly amused, incredibly shocked, expression "I'm sorry. I forgot. I mean, I didn't mean to..." she trailed off and Quinn giggled

"It's okay. Well, you'll just have to show me one day" She grinned and Santana choked on her drink. She coughed and spluttered as Rachel leaned over to thump her on the back and Quinn flushed "No. I didn't. I mean, I didn't mean _that._ I meant…you know, show me how to whistle." She looked down and fiddled with drink, her colouring matching Santana's. Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Oh. Of course." Santana nodded and they glanced awkwardly at each other before they both turned their attention back to the stage, where Jess was pointing a finger a Brittany as she sang, and the blonde was dancing, an awkward silence falling between them.

-ooOoo-

Santana and Quinn, after some mild bullying, had both put their names down to sing. They had drunk another round of shots, and few more drinks, and were currently enjoying Brittany's rendition of Dance With Me Tonight by Olly Murs, singing pointedly to Jess. The next name was announced and Rachel drunkenly slapped Quinn's behind as she stood up to make her way to the podium, and Santana cringed. Thankfully the blonde laughed it off and stepped up onto the small stage.

The opening bars of a song Santana recognised began to play, and Santana's mouth dropped open with shock as Quinn started to sing. "Ohhhhh, I've got a sheet for my bed and a pillow for my head, I've got a pencil full of lead and some water for my throat. I've got buttons for my coat and sails on my boat and so much more than I needed before. I've got money in the metre and a two-bar heater and now it's getting hotter, oh it's only getting sweeter" Santana grinned as she caught the blonde's eye, and Quinn winked. _Does she remember it's my favourite? Is that why she sang it? Or does she just like it too? She did say she likes it..._

"IT'S PAULO!" Brittany screamed as the rest all laughed, and clapped or clicked along with the beat, dancing in their seats, singing random lines in each other's faces before Santana spoke up

"Hey! Come on, I wants to get my dance on!" they, standing to join the growing number of people on the dance floor. Santana looked up, watching Quinn on the stage as she danced. _And now she can sing. My favourite song. Christ, what can this girl _not_ do? _

"...oh, best of all, I've got my baby" Quinn sang, making eye contact again as Santana gazed up at her, giving her a big thumbs-up as she grinned. Quinn pointed at her through the crowd as she sang "She's mighty fine and yeah, she's all mine and nothing's gonna bring me down" and winked before looking back to the auto-cue. Santana took a deep breath, her cheeks flushed, and took another swig of her drink before turning back to dance with Rachel as if nothing had happened.

At the end of the song, Quinn jumped down from the stage and into the open arms of the four girls. Santana grinned as the familiar scent of limes drifted towards her from the girl's hair, before they all released the grinning blonde, full of praise. Quinn grinned through her blushing, before Rachel took the empty glass from her hand "That was awesome, Q! And you know what this means …We need more drinks!" she went to the bar to buy another round, and the other girls danced as a guy with a mohawk sang The Coral's Dreaming of You. Jess and Brittany danced together, the taller girl stood behind the brunette as their hips swayed in time, and Quinn took Santana's hand to dance with her.

Santana spun Quinn in circles, and they laughed when she accidentally sent the blonde careering into the man next to them. Quinn apologized profusely while Santana tried to mask her giggles, and the blonde gave her a soft slap on her arm when she had recovered from embarrassment. They continued to dance, singing along at the top of their voices, pointing at each other when the guy sang "…when I'm dreaming of you" and Brittany nudged Jess as they did so. Jess grinned and turned to give the blonde a long kiss, and Rachel returned a few minutes later with the drinks.

Santana passed Quinn her drink and took her other hand again to dance, pulling her in and curling an arm around the girl before the blonde spun out to arm's length again. She pulled her in again, and Quinn turned to look at her as she stopped spinning, her back pressed against the brunette's body. Santana smiled as they made eye contact, their faces inches apart, and Quinn licked her lips. She glanced down as the motion caught her eye, and her smile became a grin. Quinn's beaming smile matched hers, before she raised an eyebrow impatiently, and leaned up to speak in her ear. "Santana, it's your song." She paused for a moment, feeling the warm breath on her neck, before realizing what the blonde had said, before righting herself, pulling away to run up on stage.

The opening bars started to play, and there was a cheer of recognition as everyone continued to dance. Santana began to sing. _God, it had been too long since they had been here. Well, it was last month. But they should come more often._

"...and you play it coy, but it's kind of cute. When you smile at me you know exactly what you do. Baby, don't pretend you don't know it's true. Coz you can see it when I look at you. And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times, it's you, it's you. You make me sing. You're every line, you're every word, you're everything." Rachel leaned over to Brittany and Jess as Santana sang, frowning

"Do you think she picked this on purpose?" Rachel raised a hopeful eyebrow

"Oh love, I don't even think she _knows_." Jess laughed

"Yeah, I think it's her subconscious" Brittany nodded "Because that girl has _no _clue."

They laughed and continued to dance in a group as Santana sang, joining in on the key change of the last chorus, and cheered and applauded when she had finished.

"You're every song. And I sing along. Coz you're my everything. Thank you!" Santana grinned and jumped off the stage into her friend's waiting arms. A few hours later, they piled out of the bar at closing time, all laughing and giggling as they wandered down the street in the direction of their neighbourhood. 

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys! Thank you again for your AMAZING reviews! <em>(Although Baley-Fo-Life, get an account or whatever because I want to be able to message you back when you review!)<em> You are all absolutely incredible and I can't believe the love this story is getting! Sorry for keeping you all in suspense for so long, I know most of you hate me now :D**  
><strong>Next chapter will hopefully be up<em> very<em> soon. Thank you again for all reviewing so much, it makes my little heart dance when I get e-mails about reviews, and you're all very very lovely :D**


	12. Limes

**Don't worry, I know you're all dying to read on so I won't talk for long. Thank you all again for your AWESOME reviews, you're all so sweet and lovely! I've tried to put in more of the situations you say you like so I hope you all enjoy this next chapter, and keep telling me which bits are your favourites! However, can I ask, on your next review could you put the time you're reviewing it at the end? Just because I live in England so I'm worrying that I keep updating in the middle of the night where you all are. Thanks!**

**Here you go, hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

><p>Quinn and Santana had left the other three girls at their apartment, and were walking up to the corner where they would separate, talking about the night.<p>

"Oh, and Jess and Brittany? Cutest couple _ever_!" Quinn looked at Santana incredulously

"I know right?" she laughed "You _want_ to be jealous, and trust me I have tried, but you_ just_ can't. Coz they're so cute!" they both laughed and Quinn nodded

"And Rachel has an amazing voice, too"

"Oh definitely. Although I didn't expect you to have such lovely pipes, actually" she nudged the blonde with her elbow, and she frowned with a smile

"What do you mean?"

"You're a great singer." Santana shrugged, before grinning "Your song was my favourite. And good choice, by the way, I love that song"

"I know. Well I also happen to be a Buble fan, and loved your rendition" she grinned at the brunette, and Santana took a deep breath

"Thanks." They reached the corner

"So…" Quinn sighed

"Yeah."

"Tonight was really great. Thanks for taking me" the blonde smiled, opening her bag

"Well, uh, thanks for coming, it was fun having you there" Santana nodded

"Yeah…so um…" Quinn looked around awkwardly "Shit." She had been rifling through her bag, and now picked up the pace of her searching, a deep frown settling on her face.

"What's wrong?" Santana frowned, wide eyed as Quinn started to pile things into the brunette's hands, digging to the bottom of her bag in her search

"I can't find my keys...Oh God, oh God, oh God" she bit her lip thoughtfully as she rummaged

"Oh God. Are you sure they're not in there? Have you checked the pockets?" she raised an eyebrow

"Yes! I have, I've checked every single pocket; they're not in there. Ugh, I must have dropped them somewhere. I _knew_ I shouldn't have brought this _stupid_ bag with the broken clasp!"

"It does match your skirt really nicely though" Santana

"I know right?" the blonde suddenly grinned, before her face fell again "Ugh. Crap." She sighed

"Well. Come on then" Santana grinned but Quinn frowned

"What?"

"Come on, you'll stay at mine instead" she shrugged

"No I'll go to my brother's, its fine!" she shook her head furiously and Santana rolled her eyes

"Shut up, Blondie. Come on, I'm getting cold." She sighed impatiently and the blonde laughed

"Okay" Quinn conceded and Santana nodded with a smile as they fell into step beside each other, settling into a companionable silence as they wandered up the dark street to Santana's apartment building. It wasn't until they entered the foyer that one of them spoke

"Shall we just take the elevator? It'll be quicker" Quinn said casually, before bursting out laughing at Santana's horrified expression. "I'm totally kidding!" she grinned, as she wrapped an arm around the brunette's shoulders, giving her a quick squeeze as the brunette clutched her chest, before they started climbing the stairs.

-ooOoo-

They reached the apartment door and Santana unlocked it, walking across the room in the dark to flick a lamp on as Quinn pulled off her jacket. Santana took it and hung it up, hanging hers beside it moments later, "Okay, I'm just going to go to the bathroom, but all the drinks are on top of the fridge, unless you want coffee or anything which is in that cupboard." She pointed and Quinn nodded, gazing around the apartment as Santana crossed the room to the bathroom. _Quinn is in my apartment. Again. Thank God I tidied._ _Oh best of all...I've got my baby...she's mighty fine and yeah she's all mine…_ She smiled as she washed her hands, before stepping back out into the living room, leaning against the back of the sofa as she watched Quinn in the kitchen.

The blonde was stood in front of the fridge, and two drinks sat forgotten on the counter. She was biting her nail and reading all of the notes stuck to the door. _Shit, I didn't take down that fucking note she left._ "What are you doing? Reminiscing with your oh-so-funny good morning note?" She teased, and the blonde swung round with a jump. She hadn't heard Santana leave the bathroom and her eyes were wide

"No, actually I was wondering about...this one." Quinn smiled sweetly, pointing at the note beside it, covered in Santana's drunken scrawl "…and from now on, I _demand_ you call me…what was it? 'Quinn-Sweetie-Pie-Cup-Cake-Girl'. Nice spelling of water, by the way" she giggled and smirked, and Santana tried to think of a quick comeback, opening and closing her mouth a few times. Quinn walked over to her in the living room with a sly grin as Santana's cheeks flushed bright red, "Awh, _now _who's blushing?" Quinn teased, tapping the brunette's burning cheek with her finger.

"Shut up" she said in a strangled voice and Quinn laughed. She reached up, almost unintentionally, to fiddle with the collar of Santana's shirt, taking the fabric between her fingers and playing with the button. Santana gulped as the girl's fingers brushed her collarbone "That's just where I keep my recycling." She shrugged

"Oh really?" Quinn raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced "Why? Necessary to keep it close at hand?"

"It's...in case I run out of toilet paper?" Santana attempted

"Yeah, all the way over in the kitchen. That makes sense." Quinn nodded seriously

"I...hate the colour of my fridge. They're there to cover it." Santana replied, straight faced

"Oh my God, would you just stop?" Quinn laughed, pushing the brunette's shoulders. Santana wasn't expecting the sudden force and started to lose her balance, tipping backwards over the back of the couch. She flailed her arms as she over-balanced, grabbing Quinn's wrists from by her chest as she did so. Quinn's face of guilty amusement suddenly transformed into one of shocked horror as she felt the brunette pull her down with her. Her legs hit the back of the sofa but Santana didn't let go, and she felt herself being pulled over the back of the couch on top of the Latina.

"Agh!"

"Ooph!" Both girls landed on the sofa, Santana making an embarrassingly unattractive noise in the process, with a thud. Santana was flat on her back, her head almost lolling off the end of the sofa cushion, and Quinn landed face down on top of her, her teeth sinking into Santana shoulder, and their bodies pressed against each other.

"Ohhh, I'm not supposed to bend like this!" The blonde groaned with a giggle. Santana immediately reached up for the girl's leg, wincing as she rubbed her shoulder with a frown, pulling it round so the blonde's body landed on the couch, at a right-angle to her own, on her right side. Santana turned her head before speaking

"Agh. Are you okay?" she winced

"Ugh. I think so. Are you? I'm sorry for biting you." Quinn was laid face down with her legs sticking out over the arm of the sofa, and her right arm laid across Santana's stomach

"Yeah. It's fine" Santana let out a low laugh, and Quinn looked up, meeting the girl's dark eyes as she felt the vibrations of the chuckle rumbling through her body. Quinn let out a small giggle, and Santana's laughter grew as she replayed the scene in her head. The girl's laughter was infectious and suddenly they were both giggling. Santana took a deep breath "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you down after me"

"It's okay" she let out another giggle, before propping herself up on her elbow, the tip of her finger stroking the teeth mark's on the Latina's shoulder and she bit her lip, looking apologetic. Their eyes met and she saw the twinkle in Santana's eyes as she trailed the fingers of her other hand up Santana's ribcage, and the brunette felt her heart rate increase. Oh.

Quinn's fingers stroked town Santana's arm to the crook of the brunette's elbow, and as she brushed her nails down Santana's forearm to her wrist the brunette's head turned, her gaze following Quinn's fingertips. She started drawing lazy circles on Santana's pulse point with the tip of her index finger, and Santana turned back to Quinn's hazel eyes. The brunette reached up and placed her hand behind the blonde's neck and pulled Quinn towards her slowly, feeling her chest grow tight and her stomach jump.

Quinn could hear her heart beating in her ears, and she fisted the fabric of Santana's thin t-shirt between her fingers. Santana lifted her head, tilting to the side as Quinn came closer. She licked her lips and the blonde's gaze darted down for a millisecond. Their faces were centimetres apart, and Santana could feel Quinn's breath on her face. The blonde grinned "This is ridiculous" she whispered, shaking her head. Tendrils of her hair brushed Santana's jaw as she did so, and Santana's heart lurched as she nodded with a small smile. Quinn leaned in quickly to close the rest of the distance as Santana tilted her head up, pulling Quinn down to her, and their lips crashed together.

Santana felt like she was releasing a breath she'd been holding for about a year. The blonde's lips moved in sync with hers, and she slid her hand up into the girl's hair as Quinn's grip on her t-shirt tightened, pulling Santana closer towards her. The brunette twisted her body slightly until their bodies connected, their legs still hanging off the couch in all directions. Their smiles faded quickly and Santana slipped her tongue into the other girl's mouth. Quinn's hand gripped her wrist, her nails pressing into her skin slightly as their kiss deepened, before Santana pulled back.

"Hold on." She pulled her legs down from the back of the couch, and turned to face Quinn on her knees. She placed her hands on the blonde's ribcage and pulled her up to kneel in front of her, before they closed the gap between them once again. One of Quinn's hands travelled up to curl into Santana's dark hair, the other resting on her shoulder, her fingers stroking at the brunette's collarbone. As the blonde's tongue returned to Santana's mouth, she slid one hand round the blonde's back and down to the small patch of exposed skin, her fingers tucking into the waistband of her skirt.

-ooOoo-

She woke up the next morning with a groan. The bright light creeping around the corner of the curtains was bombarding her eyelids and she frowned. It felt early. She sighed and opened one eye to stare at the bedside clock. 8:43. It _was_ early. She was about to roll over and go back to sleep, until she felt another body pressed against her back, and raised an eyebrow. Suddenly it came flooding back. She peeked under the duvet, thankful to see she was still pyjama-clad, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Scared you were naked?" a voice came from over her shoulder, and Santana grinned

"No. Why, are_ you_ naked?" she raised an eyebrow and Quinn giggled

"Wouldn't you like to know" she grinned, and Santana rolled over to face her "Hi"

"Hi"

"So..."

"Yeah. You're in my bed" Santana gave a small smile

"It would appear so" Quinn chewed her lip

"...and you were spooning me." She raised an eyebrow accusingly

"Your demand, not mine!" he blonde defended with a laugh

"That might be true. So, are you okay with that?" she bit her lip but the blonde shrugged

"I've hated things more"

"Like what?" they tangled their legs together as Santana shimmied down further under the covers, and Quinn moved her head across to Santana's pillow

"Nothing, I'm in hell." She deadpanned before tapping the brunette on the nose with a grin, and they both fell back into a light slumber.

When she awoke again, there was no sign of the blonde.

-ooOoo-

Santana burst through the unlocked apartment door the next day, "So Quinn stayed the night!" she announced loudly as she shrugged off her coat and turned, panting, to the three girls into the kitchen

"Well it's about time" Rachel rolled her eyes, and Santana stared at her wide-eyed, as Brittany and Jess started humming Barry White

"What do you mean?" She demanded

"Well, you've liked her for _so _long now" Brittany explained, shaking her head

"This development was painfully slow" Rachel added, and Santana's mouth fell open

"What? No I don't-"

"Yeah you do" Jess nodded, her eyebrows raised, eyes wide

"Well…anyway. It was only because she lost her keys so she stayed over" she shrugged

"I see. And you _do_ like her. Sorry but we're not surprised by it all anymore" Rachel shrugged

"Yeah, we got used to the idea in like…October? October" Brittany nodded and Santana glared at them, open mouthed

"And you didn't tell me?" She threw her hands up in the air

"We thought you knew!" Jess countered, shrugging innocently

"That's a lie, no we didn't." Brittany smirked, shaking her head. Jess nudged her but she continued "You were completely obliv-"

"Teamwork. Honey." Jess cut her off with a glare, and Brittany looked apologetic as Rachel rolled her eyes

"And you never told me?" Santana demanded, looking incredulous "Does she like me? Do you know_ that_ as well?"

"Ohh, she likes you." Rachel nodded with a sweet smile

"Does she _know_ she likes me? Did you tell _her_?"

"No. We didn't. We think she likes you, but we're not sure" Rachel shrugged, and Brittany scoffed

"That's a lie, we know she likes-"

"Brittany, shut your whore mouth!" Jess cut her off, staring warily at Santana with wide eyes, and Brittany giggled guiltily

"Just throw me under the bus, why don't you, Britts?" Rachel glared and Santana slapped a hand on the countertop, getting their attention once again and glaring at Rachel to continue "It's just really obvious that you like each other." She shrugged "The way you talk about her; you know everything about that shop. The way she grins when you go in"

"She never grins like that when it's just us" Jess interrupted

"The looks, the way you were _dancing!_ The fact that, whenever we go in there,you _barely_ talk and yet you two share these little glances and inside jokes. And last night she asked if you're single."

"What?" Santana was outraged

"Your love can be seen from space" Brittany remarked and Santana looked between the girls, wide-eyed.

"It's not _love_" she rolled her eyes "I barely even _like_ her most of the time."

"Wow she really had no idea" Jess commented as they all stared back at her "…sorry."

There was silence for a few moments as Santana sat down heavily at the breakfast bar. "Holy shit. Were you going to tell me she asked that?"

"Yeah, probably..." Rachel nodded with a small smile

"At least you know now?" Brittany shrugged and Santana frowned

"So what happened? Tell us" Rachel eyes were bright with excitement

"Nothing." She shrugged "We kissed, a little. Nothing else, then we went to bed"

"Sexy times?" Brittany smirked and Santana sighed, clearly flustered

"I have to go." She grabbed her jacket and stormed out of the apartment, leaving the girls staring after her.

"Well, at least now we've given them a push..." Rachel shrugged

"So...when do you think we should stop meddling?" Brittany frowned

Jess reached over into her bag with a guilty expression "So...when do you think I should give Quinn's keys back?"


	13. In the Morning and On the Fridge

**You guys. I just can't anymore, you are all SO sweet! It's ridiculous! I'm so glad you all loved the last chapter! Your reviews are just incredible, and I have spent the whole day happy-dancing knowing you all enjoyed it! Thank you!**

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><p>"Oh. Hey" she smiled awkwardly<p>

"Hi there Quinn! How are you?" Rachel beamed, ignoring the girl's discomfort

"Not too bad. Tired, but good" she nodded

"Oh by the way, I found_ these_ on the street outside their apartment" Jess grinned innocently as she held up the keys, and Quinn blushed at the memory

"Oh my God, thank you so much!" Quinn grinned her appreciation

"So did you have fun?" Brittany beamed, as Quinn handed her a coconut cake

"Yeah, it was great. Lots of fun" she swallowed, looking between the girls awkwardly

"We'll have to do it again" Rachel grinned and the blonde nodded "So...if you dropped your keys, then what did you do last night?" she asked casually. Quinn cleared her throat and dropped her eyes

Brittany rolled her eyes, before saving the girl "Did you stay at your brother's? He lives near-by, doesn't he?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah I did" Quinn nodded, still looking down at the counter she was wiping unnecessarily

"I see." Rachel nodded "Anyway, we just came in to see how you were feeling today. Not too hungover?"

"No, I've felt worse" the grin was back, and Jess and Brittany shared a glance "You?"

"Yeah, we're not too bad. Took us over an hour to drag Rachel out of bed, but we're feeling good" the blonde grinned

"So yeah, guess we'll see you next time" Jess smiled, swinging the door open, and they left.

-ooOoo-

It was a cold Wednesday morning, only one week left of school, and Santana had dragged herself out of bed with a groan, to trudge to work early. She had left a box of mock-exams at the school, and they were due to be marked for the second period of the day. She moped self-pityingly as the snow fell around her, feeling sorry for herself as it made the path slippery as she walked to the school from the subway station. She hadn't spoken to Quinn since the weekend. She wasn't avoiding her; she just hadn't needed to visit the bakery this week.

But the blonde hadn't called her either. Or even texted. _Rude._

She arrived at the school an hour before the students would arrive, and unlocked the classroom with a groan. The room was almost as cold as the exterior of the building, and Santana immediately crossed to the radiator. It was freezing cold. She checked her watch, realising that the heating in the room should have been on and working at least half an hour ago. It was just too much.

She let out a small scream of frustration, balling up her hands and screwing her eyes shut as she stamped her feet. _ Ugh. Okay, that feels better, even if it was childish and a very Berry thing to do. Thank God she was alone._

"Are you alright, Ma'am?" _Oh fucking fuckety fuck._ She turned her head slowly, to look at the fat balding janitor in the doorway. _Well. This would be horribly embarrassing if it wasn't THE WORST DAY OF MY FUCKING LIFE._

"Yes. Fine. Just cold." She smiled politely and he looked guilty

"Sorry ma'am," _STOP FUCKING CALLING ME MA'AM, DO I LOOK LIKE A FUCKING PENSIONER? " _I meant to get here sooner but I got held up. I'm here to fix it" he gestured to the toolbox in his hand and the radiator, and she gave a tight smile as he entered. She sat at her desk, not daring to remove her coat and brave the cold. Sighing, she pulled the box of papers towards her, grabbing the first one and marking through it. She worked quickly through them, slowly growing more and more irritated.

_No, Jenni, that is NOT a fucking Quaver and it's not four beats!_

_Yes, Ellie, THAT'S a motif. You fifteen-year-old moron._

_Oh God why are you taking music? _

_Jesus, Matt, its fucking MINIMALISM, we have this conversation EVERY LESSON._

She finally finished flicking through the papers, still sat huddled in her coat, as the janitor left, and dropped her head onto her forearms with a sigh. It would be a long day.

-ooOoo-

She was been right. It _had _been a long day. And to top it off, in the last period, Sophie had turned to her with a grin and announced it was her birthday in two days. Great. She smiled and promised the girl an extra special cupcake, inwardly cursing. _Why did I even fucking start this stupid tradition?_

She sighed as she let herself into the apartment. It was filthy again. She leaned against the back of the sofa, knowing she should probably tidy and clean, but just not having the energy. She sighed again, feeling glum, and tipped herself over the back of the sofa, landing upside down, on her back. She felt a familiar tug of unease as she breathed in and remembered the last time she laid here. The couch cushion still smelt like limes, and she bit her lip.

She'd have to talk to the blonde tomorrow and order Sophie's cupcake. It wasn't like she was particularly _dreading _it, she just wasn't exactly...eager. Quinn had left before she woke up, and hadn't tried to contact her _at all._ And that had to mean something. Santana frowned and bit her thumb nail as she thought about the blonde, and reached over to her bag with a sigh. She pulled out her phone and slumped back on the sofa as it dialled, still laid upside down

"Hello?"

"Hey Rach, it's me."

"Hi. Are you okay, you sound upset?"

"Not upset, exactly. Just...what are you all doing tonight?"

"Uh, I think Jess and Brittany have a date. I'm not doing anything. Fancy the bar?"

"That's perfect, but could you just come here instead? I've had enough of people for today"

"Okay," she replied cautiously "gimme an hour?"

"Cool." She hung up and sighed again, before pulling her legs down so she was laid staring at the ceiling. _How depressing._

-ooOoo-

Rachel arrived exactly an hour later, and Santana crossed to the intercom to let her in before dragging herself back to her position on the sofa. The brunette appeared at the door a few moments later, frowning when her eyes fell on the Latina girl laid in the dark. She pulled off her coat and stepped across to the couch, flicking the lamp on and pulling Santana into a sitting position. She sat down before allowing Santana to slump back with her head in Rachel's lap.

"What's up, honey?" Rachel smiled as she began to stroke Santana's hair, eying the girl's heavy frown, and Santana sighed.

"Do I like Quinn?" she asked

"I think so." Rachel gave a sympathetic smile and Santana bit her thumb nail "Why? What happened the other night?"

"Okay," Santana took a deep breath "Well she came back here when she lost her keys, which I'm assuming she's replaced now," Rachel looked away guiltily "to stay the night. She read the notes on the fridge and she was laughing at me, then she pushed me over the back of the couch and I pulled her down on top of me. _By accident_" Rachel grinned "and then we kissed. For a while..."

_Quinn pulled Santana to her feet as they kissed, chuckling slightly when Santana lost her balance, grabbing the girl around the waist "Thanks" Santana whispered against her lips. She pulled Santana towards her, in the direction of the bedroom, but they had only taken a few steps before the brunette slammed Quinn back against the wall, pressing their bodies together. She let out a small cry of surprised pain, and Santana pulled an apologetic face as she muffled the cry with a kiss. The blonde twisted her hands into Santana's hair as she ran her hands down Quinn's pale arms, pulling her hands up and pinning them either side of her head, intertwining their fingers._

_Quinn pushed off the wall and walked Santana in the direction of the bedroom, sliding one hand down to the small of the brunette's back and under the hem of her t-shirt. Her nails dragged across the soft skin and Santana turned them around to push Quinn onto the bed, her knees either side of the blonde's thighs. She pulled away, gazing down at the girl's face, framed by her own dark hair, suddenly tense "Uh..."_

"_Mmhm." Quinn bit her lip, looking unsure_

"_Should we...?" Santana frowned_

"_Yeah I think so" she grinned, her face flushed, and Santana sat back on her haunches_

"_I mean, its not..." _

"_No! I understand. But..." the blonde sat upright, her hands still on Santana's thighs as they stuttered, and Santana took a deep breath_

"_Yeah." she nodded with a sigh_

"_Okay." Quinn gave a reassuring smile and they both giggled again, before Santana cupped the blonde's face, leaning in for another sweeter, less frantic, kiss. Quinn smiled and Santana slid back off the bed, crossing to her dresser. The blonde watched from the bed, breathing heavily and biting her lip as Santana pulled out two pairs of shorts, a vest top, and an 'I 3 NY' t-shirt. She turned and held them all up in front of Quinn, who grabbed the stripy shorts and NY t-shirt with a grin, "Thanks" Santana nodded and attempted to avert her eyes as Quinn pulled her top swiftly over her head. "I can see you looking, pervert." She laughed, folding it and placing it on top of the laundry basket_

"_You think a lot of yourself." Santana rolled her eyes, "I was _actually_ just admiring your bra" she added scathingly, pulling her jeans off_

"_Yeah, _that's_less creepy." Quinn nodded before stepping towards her and grabbing the hem of Santana's t-shirt. She pulled her into a kiss and dragged the t-shirt over her head, grinning when it messed her hair up, and tossed it to the floor. _

_Santana raised an eyebrow "Oh, are you gonna tidy up tomorrow?" she glared and pulled the blonde back in, shuddering and biting the blonde's lip when she stroked her fingers lightly down Santana's spine. The blonde giggled and stepped back to let Santana put her top on, turning away to slide her skirt off._

_Santana reached forwards and thumbed the label of Quinn's underwear before tucking it back in, grinning when she heard the blonde's breath catch, and she leaned down to press her lips to the bare skin where the girl's neck met her shoulder. She felt Quinn smile as she pulled her shorts on, and sunk her teeth into the flesh lightly, laughing when Quinn squirmed away with a shriek "That's payback for biting me!"_

_Quinn turned to grab Santana but she dodged out of the way, running down the hall in her vest and pants to the bathroom, the fully dressed blonde close behind. She grabbed her wrist and spun Santana round as they reached the door, pressing her against it and into another long kiss, before Santana turned the door knob and the door swung open, dodging out of Quinn's grasp once again. "Here. This is the one you used last time" she held out the toothbrush to Quinn, who took it with narrowed eyes and a raised eyebrow_

"_Do you keep all your overnight guests' toothbrushes? That's a little serial-killer." She smirked and Santana shrugged_

"_No, of course not. Only the ones who's DNA I'd like to keep for cloning" she shrugged casually and Quinn giggled_

"_Wow, I'm gonna take that as a compliment" she said genuinely and Santana grinned. She squeezed toothpaste onto both brushes and frowned as she took the space beside Quinn._

"_Move over! You're taking up all the space!" she complained through a mouth of toothpaste, bumping the blonde out of the way with her hip_

"_I am not!" Quinn spat bubbles of foam over the mirror as she protested, pushing Santana back_

"_Yes you are!" they pushed and shoved for a few moments before Santana changed tactics "Fine! I'll just have to stand behind you!" she stood directly behind the blonde, leaning forwards exaggeratedly to crush the blonde between her body and the sink, and Quinn spat her mouthful into the sink_

"_You're only doing that so you can press your 'gina against my ass! Pervert!" she laughed, meeting Santana's eye in the mirror_

"_Oh, you wish, blondie! You're so full of yourself!" she rolled her eyes with a grin_

"_Whatever" Quinn raised a sceptical eyebrow and narrowed her eyes "I'm on to you, sex pest."_

"...then we got into bed, had a goodnight kiss and we cuddled for a while and fell asleep. We woke up the next day and everything was fine, still not awkward. Then we fell back to sleep, and I woke up, and she was gone. It was like a nail-and-bail, but without the nailing. And I haven't seen her since; no call, no text...nothing." she shrugged sadly and Rachel frowned thoughtfully

"Okay...well, have you texted or called _her_? Or been to see her?" she asked, already guessing the reply

"...no. I'm not avoiding her or anything, I just haven't really...had anything to...say." she shrugged, blushing and Rachel rolled her eyes with a smile

"Well, why don't you just say hi. Tell her you had a good time? Go see her"

"Well, its Sophie's birthday soon, you know the sophomore drummer girl? So I'll have to go in tomorrow to order a cake but...I don't know, she just left. She didn't even wake me or say bye. She was just gone?" she bit her thumb nail and Rachel sighed

"Yeah, I get it. Well, maybe you'll just have to play it by ear? When you go in tomorrow" she shrugged

"Thanks, Rach. That's so helpful" she rolled her eyes. Rachel's jaw clenched and she sighed "...I'm sorry. I'm being a bitch. But I don't know. I didn't even realise I like her. And now I like her. _And she didn't even say goodbye_."

"Maybe she just didn't want to disturb you? She probably assumed you'd be in to see her on Sunday so didn't bother" Rachel laughed, and Santana frowned, "For all we know, she's sat at home freaking out _just _as much as you right now!"

"Maybe. You might be right." Santana frowned "Thanks, Rach. I guess I'll just see her tomorrow after school"

"Feeling any better?" Rachel grinned

"Yeah a little." She smiled "Have you eaten yet?"

"Not yet, you?" Santana shook her head and Rachel smiled "Okay, take out?"

"Mexican"

"Ew"

-ooOoo-

"Hi" Santana smiled shyly as the green door swung shut behind her, and Quinn looked up, slightly startled

"Oh. Hi" she gave an awkward smile and a blush started to creep up her neck

"I'm just here to order a cupcake. For tomorrow. Please." Santana stuttered as she stepped up to the counter, not noticing as Quinn's face fell slightly.

She coughed to hide it and grabbed her notepad, attempting to act professional "Sure that's fine. What would you like?"

"Um, it's for Sophie. You know the little sophomore drummer girl?" Quinn nodded with a polite smile and Santana continued "Yeah. And she likes strawberries. If you'll be...doing anything like that..." she trailed off, staring down at her hands

"Yeah I have strawberries. Um, how about a strawberry cupcake, with a jam and cream topping?"

"Sounds delicious. But nothing special on top this time, it sounds like it would ruin it" she nodded, feeling tense and willing her heart rate to slow down, and Quinn nodded

"Okay great. I'll have it ready early, as usual" Santana smiled gratefully before taking a deep breath. _Ask about the other night. Just do it. Do it now. _She opened her mouth to speak, before frowning and closing it again.

Quinn bit her lip _Oh God she's going to say something. No wait, no she's not. I saw you open your mouth. I saw that! What were you going to say? Say it!_

"So, um...I guess I'll go then" Santana lost her nerve and turned to walk towards the door. Quinn looked at her retreating back hopefully, but stayed silent, and Santana left the shop, stopping once she was out of sight.

She leaned her back against the wall of the next building with a heavy sigh, and dropped her head back with a groan. _Well that went well. If 'well' now means 'awkward as fuck'. She is clearly horrified by the whole ordeal, and now I look like a fucking creep. Awesome. Nice work, Starlight._

Quinn rested her elbows on the counter and dropped her head into her hands, blushing furiously. She sighed heavily before screwing her face up in frustration, dropping her arms and bashing her head onto her forearms. _Brilliant. She clearly came to give me the message that it meant nothing, so I look like a total idiot and she probably feels awkward as hell. Great. Smooth moves, there, Cupcake Girl._

-ooOoo-

Santana showered as soon as she got home, with a sense of unease in her stomach. Despite Rachel soothing some of her insecurities yesterday, she now felt worse than ever. Quinn had made it perfectly clear how she felt, and now Santana was left with a newfound vulnerability and a pretty big sense of loss. The nagging frustration in her mind and persistent tugging of disappointment in the pit of her stomach refused to subside. She sighed heavily as she dried herself and changed straight into her pyjamas, spending the night watching trashy TV and playing stupid games before crawling in to bed for an early night.

She was still awake, tossing and turning, five hours later. It was three in the morning and she was starting to grow agitated and restless. She sat up straight in the darkness, frowning and leaning her head on her knees with a sigh. She rubbed at her eyes and stretched before glancing at the clock on her side-table and calculating how many hours of sleep she had left before she had to get up for work again.

She flipped the bedcover over, before leaning back and turning her pillow, and she flopped back down onto the bed, smiling between the cool sheets. She frowned again a few moments later when she still couldn't relax, and decided to move over into the middle of the bed. She threw her pillow into the corner and grabbed the other to tug it into the middle of the bed. She laid her head down and inhaled the lingering scent of limes. _Ugh. Now she's just mocking me._ She lifted the pillow to swap it with the one in the corner, before pausing. Instead of throwing the pillow, she dropped it onto the space next to her as her eyes fell on the crumpled paper on the pillow below.

She leaned over and flicked the lamp on, wincing at the sudden burst of light, and pushed the pillow back against the headboard, leaning back onto it as she uncurled the paper and her mouth dropped open.

**Hello, Santana-Poppa-Starlight-Guest-Baker-Cupcake-Girl-Number-Two  
>Not quite sure when you'll get this, so sorry!<br>But last night was lots of fun  
>You should call Quinn-Sweetie-Pie-Cupcake-Girl-Blondie<br>Love Sober Quinn xxxx  
>P.S. Now go stick this on the fridge.<strong>

Santana grinned, dropping her head back onto her knees with a relieved sigh. She shook her head and let out a giddy laugh, re-reading the note again a few times, before following the girl's instruction, bounding out of bed and running to the kitchen. She flicked the light on and grabbed an available magnet, looking for a space. It was then that her eyes fell on another new note. _How did I fucking miss that?_

**You're right.  
>This colour is hideous.<br>CG xx**

She grinned delightedly and stuck the new note beside the others, before lifting herself onto the counter-top, still staring with a blissful grin. She swung her legs back and forth and bit her lip through her smile as he eyes travelled over the notes. Then her heat skipped a beat. _Fuck. What about when I went in today? I didn't even acknowledge the billion notes she's left. She's going to think _I_ don't like_ her_. Dammit! Fuck. Shit. What do I do now? Should I call her and tell her? Yeah, at 3am, she'll love you for that. _She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity, and jumped off the counter to slouch back to her bed. She slid under the covers with a frustrated sigh as she closed her eyes. She was moments away from falling, when another thought popped into her head. _You're seeing her tomorrow morning to get Sophie's cupcake. You fucking moron._


	14. Mrs Beaver

**Had trouble with uploading this chapter so I've re-uploaded it. Sorry for the false alarm folks. Hopefully should work now. You can assume it does if you're reading this.**

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><p>"Cupcake girl" Santana nodded, holding back the grin threatening to split her face in two,<p>

"Oh. Hey" Quinn said seriously, averting her eyes before wordlessly crossing to the kitchen to retrieve the cupcake "How's this?"

"Oh my God, it's perfect! You have completely outdone yourself!" Santana grinned and the blonde blushed, smiling politely

"Well, that'll be $2.95" she said professionally with a nod, still staring at the countertop, and Santana paused, biting her lip.

"I have something for you, too" Santana grinned, and the blonde glanced up. Santana pulled out a post-it note and stuck it to the counter between them, and Quinn frowned at her curiously before looking down to read it

I got your note at 3am.  
>I thought it was too late to call.<br>Thank you for giving to the hideous-fridge cause.  
>Your donations were greatly appreciated<br>Love Sober (and sorry) Santana xxxx

Quinn giggled as she read it, before turning to stick it on the notice board behind the counter. As she turned back, Santana grabbed the blonde's wrist and pulled her towards her over the counter, pulling her into a kiss, before pulling away, slightly breathless, and looking away guiltily

"Oh" Quinn swallowed

"Sorry. But, I hadn't got your notes when I came in yesterday, so I thought you must feet weird about it-"

"I thought _you _felt weird about it!" Quinn grinned

"I don't feel weird! But then it was awkward and I thought you were embarrassed and everything and I thought maybe you regretted it..." she trailed off with a frown and the blonde blushed

"Well I thought _you re_gretted it!"

"Well...I don't. If you don't." _Way with words, there, Shakespeare._ "Which you said you don't." _Just _s_top talking._

"No."

"Good." _Inspired._

"Awesome."

They nodded in silence for a few moments before a small giggle escaped Quinn's lips, and Santana chuckled "I really liked the notes, too, by the way"

"I'm glad. I really liked the pyjamas." She nodded seriously and Santana laughed, biting her lip

"Look, I'm sorry but I really have to get to school" she indicated the cupcake "First period."

"Okay well, would you maybe want to, like..."

"Yes. Definitely." Santana nodded with a smile

"Okay, so like, I'll just call you, or you can..."

"Call you. Yeah. Okay"

"Cool." Quinn nodded and the brunette turned to leave, pausing to turn back when she heard the blonde run round the counter and onto the shop floor. She turned with a grin and Quinn threw herself at her, wrapping her arms around Santana's neck and pulling her into a deep kiss. She pulled away breathlessly with a grin "Sorry. I missed kissing you. Talk to you later."

Santana nodded with a smile and took a deep breath before leaving the shop.

The old tramp on the subway was back. She grinned all day regardless.

-ooOoo-

"Hey Miss L! Guess what?" Sophie grinned as she took her seat at the back of the room, shouting over the student's heads

"Am I required to actually guess? Coz we could be here all day, and this is kind of an important lesson" she deadpanned

"Is it a boring lesson?" Santana looked thoughtful "Then yes, you have to actually guess."

Santana laughed, rolling her eyes, and reached down to her desk "Okay, well then...is it your birthday? And do I have a cupcake for you?"

"Yeah it is!" the small girl giggled with cheer, and Santana grinned for a moment before righting her face into a serious expression

"No. It's not." Sophie's face fell and she looked awkwardly around before sitting in her seat

"I'm totally kidding, you're too easy!" Santana laughed as she held up the cupcake and Sophie cheered again, running to the front when Santana beckoned her

"Thanks, Miss L!" she grinned and Santana smiled, handing the cake over "Can I eat it now?"

"As long as you don't choke and die, because I refuse to be responsible" she smiled sweetly and the girl laughed as she took her seat again.

"Okay guys, listen up!"

-ooOoo-

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Santana grinned down the phone

"What? What are you doing?" Rachel frowned "What, what's going on?"

"I MIGHT DIE FROM ALL THE HAPPY INSIDE MY CHEST!" Santana shouted down the phone as she entered her apartment building. It hadn't been a particularly interesting or fun day, but her grin never left her face

"Oh...okay...?"

"I went to see Quinn this morning!" She paused for a moment, deciding against telling the girl about all of the cute notes, before continuing "And we kissed and everything's good and we're going to talk later!" she grinned against and Rachel sighed happily

"See! I told you to just talk to her! Oh, I'm so happy for you! But I have to go because Jess and Brittany are sat on the sofa giving me please-leave eyes and it's making me uncomfortable" Santana heard giggling in the background and grimaced

"Ew. So wrong."

"Yeah, I'm going out. I'll talk to you later." Rachel sighed and hung up

Santana changed into her running gear and a hoody, and locked the apartment. She stood debating in the hallway, before sighing and taking a deep breath, turning to the stairs. She ran out into the street, gasping when the freezing cold air hit her face, and broke into a run, soon warming up and feeling a sheen of sweat form on her brow. She waved through the window at Quinn as she passed, who blew her a sneaky kiss, and returned home half an hour later.

She immediately jumped in the shower, changing into sweatpants and an old t-shirt before leaning against the back of the sofa and dropping back so lay upside down, grinning at the memories. She reached up and grabbed her phone from the coffee table, checking her messages.

You look a little exerted, Starlight. Don't wear yourself out ;) Q xxxx

She grinned and immediately pressed the call button, butterflies filling her stomach as it rang and she waited for Quinn to pick up

"Hello?"

"Hey there. I believe I promised to call you, so here I am. Following my obligations" Santana grinned

"Wow, how romantic. You really know how to make a girl feel special." She laughed

"I know, right? So...how are you?" she smiled happily as she shifted to get comfy, crossing her ankles on the back of the sofa

"Pretty great, I saw this awesome hot brunette today."

"Oh very nice" Santana giggled "I didn't see anyone hot today at all."

"Oh ha ha." Quinn griped

"So, what was she like? Smoking hot?" Santana smiled and almost heard Quinn roll her eyes

"Well, she likes to think she's funny. She takes up all of the space at the sink. She _does _look cute when she goes running and she's all hot and sweaty, though. And she eats way too many cupcakes."

Santana laughed "And do you think she likes you?"

"Well, I just don't know. I don't even know if she likes girls." Quinn replied convincingly and Santana snorted

"Yeah, she's probably so far in the closet, she's dating The White Witch" the brunette nodded, and Quinn giggled

"Really? _All _of the Mrs Beaver jokes in the world and you go with _The White Witch_?" she laughed, and Santana paused in realisation

"..._fuck_"

"I'm ashamed"

"So am I" she frowned

"Just shows that I am a comedic genius and you're a wannabe" Quinn smirked, and Santana rolled her eyes

"Yeah totally. Anyway...I was wondering if like, maybe..."

"Yeah?" Quinn grinned hopefully

"I dunno. Do you need any sound systems installing? Or someone to teach baking to? Or places to stay or anything?"

"You suck at this" the blonde laughed

"I know. I promise you, I don't usually" she inwardly cringed

"I'm not sure if that's a compliment"

"It was intended to be"

Quinn conceded "Would you like to go out sometime?"

"Yes."

-ooOoo-

Santana rushed through the door of the girls' apartment, grinning and jumping up and down "I've got a date! I've got a date! I'm going on a date!" she chanted as she jumped around the living room, grabbing Rachel, who was sat on the sofa reading a magazine, and shaking her from side to side, grinning. "I'm going on a date with the cupcake girl! I've got a date!" she proceeded to jump up onto the sofa, back down and around the room before running down the hall, "I'm going on a date! Brittany I've got-"

"Santana, wait! No don-" Rachel screamed

"Eeeew my eyes! MY EYES, MY EYES!" Santana rushed back into the hall, slamming the door behind her and screwing her eyes shut, standing stock-still in the living room "...so Jess is here."

"I tried to tell you" Rachel sniggered

"I'm scarred for life. Hold me." She dropped onto the sofa next to Rachel, eyes wide, as they heard the two girls shouting their apologies from the bedroom

"Isn't that what your new _girlfriend_ is for?" Rachel smirked and closed the magazine, throwing it down onto the coffee table and turning to Santana

"She's not my girlfriend" she replied insistently

"Yet" Rachel muttered with a raised eyebrow

"...yet" Santana breathe nervously. "Okay, do you wanna go to the bar or something, because I need to get out of this apartment now that I know what's going on in _there_."

"Okay, let me change and we'll go."

-ooOoo-

They went to their local place again, managing to snag a booth near the door. They had been there for about an hour when Rachel's phone buzzed with a text from Brittany, and the other girls joined them.

"Hey guys" Brittany grinned as she slid in next to Rachel, and Jess sat beside Santana, who glared at the tabletop

"Hi, Santana. How are you?" Jess smiled politely and Santana held up a hand to stop her

"Shut it, English. You've done enough for one day. I can't even look at you." She grimaced and Brittany sniggered

"Oh stop being a drama queen, San" Rachel rolled her eyes "I live with it, how often do you think it happens to me?"

"Well, stop walking into my bedroom without knocking!" Brittany held her hands up in despair and Rachel glared at her

"Your bedroom? I think you mean the kitchen. And unlocked bathroom. And sofa!"

"We didn't know you were home!" Jess insisted innocently

"I came home _with _you guys!" Rachel insisted, looking close to tears, and Santana laughed

"And this is why I live alone" she smirked

Rachel sighed "I need more drinks."

Jess grinned and crossed to the bar, and Santana glared at Brittany, "What?" the blonde cried defensively

"I hate you." Santana shook her head and Brittany rolled her eyes

"I say again, you have rage issues."

"I do _not _have rage issues!" she slapped the table

"Yes, and your calm, collected response really back up your argument! Brittany smirked

"Well, I don't. I only have rage issues with_ you_."

"God, San, you're a lot less pretty when you're all stressed and bitter" Rachel smirked and Santana glared again

"I'm not bitter. I'm mentally scarred."

Jess was back, "I'm sure you won't give a shit once you're finally tickling Quinn's pickle" she remarked as she placed the tray of drinks on the table, and Santana rolled her eyes, blushing

"Shut up. You guys suck."

She frowned as her phone buzzed in her bag, and pulled it out to see a new message.

Hey Mrs Beaver, how are you? And how about dinner tomorrow? Xxxx

Please don't call me hat :( I'm good, just at bar with girls. Dinner sounds great xxx

Ooh having fun? The corner at 7-ish? Xxx

Yeah, wanna join us? And 7 is great :D Xxxx

You sure? I am kinda bored xxxx

Then do it! Get here now! Xxxx

She gave Quinn the address, grinning throughout the conversation, and Rachel eyed her suspiciously

"Why are you grinning?"

"Nothing." Santana frowned "Why? It's nothing"

"Okay..." Brittany raised an eyebrow

"What? It' nothing." She said defensively

"If you say so" Jess nodded, and Santana bit her lip

"Oh by the way, Quinn's coming."

"I knew it" Rachel smirked as Brittany and Jess cheered.

The blonde arrived a few minutes later, and Jess stood up, waving Quinn into the seat next to Santana with a flourish. Quinn rolled her eyes as Santana glared, and slid into the seat. "Hey guys, how is everyone?" she grinned, and everyone nodded and smiled

"Oh, Quinn do you want a drink?" Brittany stood up and took her order, checking everyone else's glasses before heading to the bar. Jess and Rachel started talking about work, and the blonde nudged Santana gently with her elbow

"Hey" the brunette said quietly, and gave a small smile

"Nice to see you, Mrs Beaver" the blonde answered in a low voice, and Santana sighed

"Seriously? Good job you look so cute"

"So do you. I like your hair like that." Quinn reached up and brushed a strand away from Santana's face, and she blushed

"Thank you. I'm already glad you came."

"So am I" she grinned

Brittany returned, and the rest of the night was spent talking and laughing, ignoring the glares from people at the surrounding tables. Rachel was telling an amusing story as Santana leaned over to get her drink. She swallowed as she did so, before sliding her hand over onto the blonde's knee next to her. She glanced up at Quinn's face to try and gage a reaction, but if the blonde minded, she wasn't showing it. Santana sat back with a small satisfied smile, drawing lazy patterns on the blonde's bare knee. Everyone laughed loudly as Rachel finished the story. _What are they laughing at? Oh, fuck, I didn't hear any of that story. Laugh anyway._ She joined in until the laughter died down, and there was a moment of contemplative silence before Brittany spoke up excitedly

"Oh my God, Jess, tell them about the guy in the movie theatre!" Jess nodded and giggled before launching into the story, and Santana smiled politely, falling back into her daydreams. _What shall I wear tomorrow? I wonder where we're going. Maybe I should ask, actually. So I can dress accordingly. _She felt the blonde place a hand in the crook of her elbow, and felt her breath catch in her throat, taking a deep breath. _Jesus, she's touching your arm. And you've turn into mush. How pathetic. Congrats, you're officially a fourteen-year-old boy. _Quinn's other hand found the back of her forearm and trailed slowly down to her wrist, and she glanced up to catch the blonde's eye. She gave her a sweet smile, blushing slightly, and Santana grinned back at her.

-ooOoo-

They left the bar a few hours later and set off in the direction of home. Jess was incredibly drunk and had an arm slung around Brittany's shoulders, singing loudly all the way home. As she stumbled down the curb for the third time, and Santana steered her back onto the sidewalk, Brittany sighed. She stepped in front of the English girl and bent down, but Jess simply stared at her in confusion, glancing at the other girls with a frown.

Rachel rolled her eyes and prompted her "Get on". Quinn giggled as Jess attempted to clamber on to the blonde's back, burying her face in the shoulder of Santana's coat to mask her amusement, and Santana watched her with a gentle grin. When the blonde finally stood up straight, hoisting the small brunette up onto her back with a grin, they set off again, a little slower to accommodate for the blonde and her burden. Santana held back for a moment as Quinn lifted her head off the brunette's shoulder, leaning in to kiss the blonde on the nose. They set off walking again, and Quinn slid her hand into Santana's, resting her head on her shoulder as they walked.

Once again, Rachel, Brittany and Jess split off at the girls' apartment and Santana and Quinn proceeded to walk together until they reached the corner. They stopped and turned to face each other, Santana grinning as she took in the blonde's pale face and bright red cheeks, flushed from the cold, and reached forward to tap Quinn's nose with her finger.

"Cold?" she smiled

"A little..." Quinn trailed off and took a deep breath. "I don't really mind" she shrugged with a smile, stepping a little closer to the brunette "Okay, so...I know some people don't do the whole kissing on the first date thing..."

Santana frowned "Right...?"

"But as this wasn't technically a date. At all. So...if I promise _not_ to kiss you tomorrow, could I kiss you now?" Quinn giggled, blushing and Santana grinned, nodding

"Okay." She pulled Quinn towards her and tilted her head as the blonde's lips met her own. The blonde squeezed her gloved hand as she reached her other up to the collar of Santana's coat, pulling her closer. A few moments later, Santana pulled away as she felt freezing cold snowflakes start to fall down the back of her coat, melting on her back and she squirmed. "This snow would be really romantic if I wasn't already freezing cold...and now damp."

Quinn giggled and took a step back "I can't do it. I need to come clean." Santana raised an eyebrow, confused "I lied." Santana swallowed "There is nothing you can do tomorrow to stop me from kissing you goodnight." She smiled cheekily and Santana grinned, watching as the blonde turned to walk away down the street.


	15. Friends and Family

**Rachel**

_While I appreciate that my companions are currently in the throes of passion, it is becoming increasingly hard to ignore. Thus I have come to the conclusion that I need to buy some new earphones, preferably of the noise-cancelling variety, or find a hobby that will keep me out of the apartment between the hours of 7am-9am and 7pm-1am. Or in last night's case; 3am._

_Maybe I'll work out the logistics later._

_For now I shall simply take my new book and my beautiful vegan cupcake and go to the Starbucks around the corner. Ah, cruel irony. But the cupcakes rule so never mind. Although I find it increasingly irritating that Brittany and Jess seem to be reaching their sexual peak, I have to say it has its advantages; I don't feel I have ever been so well-read as when I've been avoiding my apartment this past week. _

For whatever my man is I am his forever more, Oh my man I love him so...

_So here I am, walking the streets of the city I love in the freezing cold, but that's neither here nor there, and staring at the ass of this beautiful, beautiful man walking in front of me. Although, he is walking in front of me, so I haven't seen his face yet. I keep trying to walk slightly to the side, to maybe get a sneaky glimpse or a side-profile, but so far I'm just sort of swerving across the sidewalk, and I think I'm starting to look like a stalker. But with an ass like that, I'm sure his face is beautiful._

_Anyway, of course I am happy for them. I'm pretty sure the L-word (excuse the pun) can't be far away, and Jess practically lives with us these days. Not that I mind, she has impeccable TV, film and music taste, and is also a fantastic cook, so everyone's a winner. Especially Brittany, by the sounds of it._

_Oh God, he's turning. Turning, turning... Oh God. He is not cute. Abort mission. _

_But I'll admit it's hard not to feel a little glum, especially while you're crossing the street to avoid looking like the stalker of ugly people. New low. Is that shallow? It sounds like something Santana would say, only less angry, so probably._

_Of course, I'm also happy for the budding romance between Santana and Quinn. They may have needed a rather large push in the right direction, but for God's sake, they would have still been stuttering and blushing and smiling awkwardly this time next year if we hadn't stepped in. _

_Also a plus point for Jess; she is incredibly talented in the art of subterfuge and subtlety. Which makes up for Brittany's total lack of tact._

_With friends like these, who needs spy films?_

_And while I may be starting to feel a little like a fifth wheel, it would be incredibly heartless of me to deny them their happiness. However, it gets harder and harder to appreciate 'girl's night out' now that it's less girls-night and more lesbian-couples-night. And no matter what Santana may like to think, that is not in my future._

Come on, babe, why don't we paint the town? Ba daa dad um dat dat. And all that jazz...

_Ooh, he's cute. Just sat there. Looking hot. And rugged. And looking at me. Okay look away. Maybe once I've ordered I should go sit with him. Like those strong, powerful women in rom-coms who are empowered and independent and do what they want and don't worry about embarrassing themselves. And he'll smile and say hi and I'll say hi and we'll get talking and fall in love and be together forever. Like a Nicholas Sparks novel. Only without the death, separation or war. Maybe not like a Nicholas Sparks novel. But it would be sweet, and he'd be charming and I'd be cool and collected._

_Okay, maybe that fantasy would be easier to believe had I not just tripped over that stupid mat. Is he looking? Of course he's looking. And not in that nice who's-that-cute-girl kind of way. More in that what-the-fuck-is-she-doing kind of way. Well, that was short-lived. However, I am sure I shall learn from the experience and allow it to enable my growth into a more wisdomous, well-rounded person. Is wisdomous a word?_

_Hmm. Maybe I'll just never find love. Although you would think that in a city of 8 million people, there'd be a hot Jewish guy with a penchant for vegan cupcakes and musicals SOMEWHERE. Sadly, apparently not._

_It's not like I'm bitter or anything. I'm well aware that I am young and carefree, and still have so much of my life ahead of me. I am yet to achieve my dreams of appearing on Broadway. I have no doubts that this is achievable, attainable, and an aspiration that will one day come to fruition. But I can't deny it would be nice to have someone of my own to hang out with when all the girls are...yeah._

_God who's phone is that? And is that Katy Perry? God I hate this song, why would anyone have that as their ringtone?_

_I'm completely happy for Brittany and Santana. And Jess and Quinn, even, although of course my fondness of them runs nowhere near as deep as my love and affection for my girls. But they're good people and good friends, and between the four of them, they're making each other all kinds of happy. Some kinds I'd prefer to dwell on a lot less than others. Which is nice. Really nice. And I'm happy for them. Really happy._

_Oh my God, this song is melting my brain. _I kissed a girl and I liked it...and I hate you Katy Perry, it's all lies!

_However. While I may be aware that my life still lays out uncharted before me, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to have someone of my own. Walking home the other night had to be the big kicker in all of this. Brittany carrying Jess home on one side, Santana and Quinn practically snuggling on the other. And me the fifth wheel. Yeah, it would be nice to have someone. Someone to give me butterflies and buy me flowers and cuddle me and make me nervous when they're around and all of those things that the girls are going through right now._

_Okay I'm about to cry. Please, moron, answer your phone!_

_Thing is, I'm sure the girls would be horrified if they knew I felt like this. But I don't blame them; heaven forbid, I know I'd be exactly the same if I were them. But I have to say-_

_Why are people staring at me?_

_Oh shit, that's my phone. Yep, it's blinking. And...it's Santana. Of course it is._

"Hello?"

"Hey, I need you" Santana greeted

"When did you change my ringtone?" Rachel demanded

"Are you in public?"

"Starbucks" she sighed

"SUCCESS!" Santana cackled

_With friends like these, who needs enemies?_

"I hate you, and your stupid gay ringtone"

_Okay, so that may sound incredibly offensive to strangers. That cute guy looks kind of angry. Hmm. Well that's a comfort for this unrequited love._

"I need your help"

_Sigh._

"Why? What with?" Rachel frowned

"It's my date with Quinn tonight and I need my best girl to help me prepare!" Santana grinned.

_Oh. That's actually quite sweet._

"So you're in? I _need_ you!" Santana pleaded when she was silent

_Awh, San._

"Yes of course! You will look better than ever before!"

"Thank you, I love you so much, you're the best!"

_Okay so...with friends like these, who needs boyfriends?_

**Quinn**

_Oh God. Why does this happen every year? I make the list of clothes I need. I find the clothes I need. I wash the clothes I need. I pack nothing BUT the things I NEED._

_I sit on this stupid case because it won't close. _

_And yet every single year I forget that I use over half the space on Christmas presents._

_Hope my family realises how lucky they are._

_I probably shouldn't begrudge them, what with it being the most wonderful time of the year and all that. And I am excited to see them; I haven't spoken to Dad much recently. Or any other family members, actually. Apart from Sam and Maleficent. And that's always fun. I still can't wait to see Mom and Dad. And the others of course. But Hayley and Claire have always been kind of...yeah. It's not that they're spoilt and mean, exactly...they're just spoilt and mean._

_I'm sure they're not really mean. Just to me. But they're like five years younger than me, and I'm a grown up now, and I do grown up things, and I have my own business and my own lock on the attic door. Take that, gremlins. No tormenting me this year. _

_But it does kind of suck that although I have my first date with Santana tonight, I leave in two days. Especially when she's not leaving for another week. And I'm staying a day longer than her, too. Wasting valuable girl-time._

_Hope my family realises how lucky they are._

_I can't wait to be in that house again though. All the music, and the cooking smells from my Mom, and my Dad and Uncle watching war films while everyone complains that they want to watch Christmas films. Watching Christmas films with the girls in the rare moments when they aren't bickering or making snide comments. Dad reading Twas The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve. New pyjamas. And best of all, locking the door to the attic room and reading Pride and Prejudice, just like every year._

_Only this year I'll have Santana. Sort of. I mean, I won't _have _her. That would be presumptuous. But I imagine we'll talk. She promised to send me a photo of her gingerbread house. Cutie. And I have to send her one of the view from my window. And then when I get back...who knows._

_All I know is it's our date _tonight_. And I still have no idea where to take her, or if she'll want to take me somewhere, or what to wear. I've just spent too much time shopping, and working, and planning Christmas to think about it._

_Hope my family realises how lucky they are._


	16. Lucky Underwear

"So you still don't know what you're doing?" Rachel frowned as she sat on Santana's bed

"No. Well, no one really asked the other on a date, we just sort of agreed." Santana shrugged from her dressing table "So neither of us planned anything and we're just sort of playing it by ear." Rachel looked smug "We'll probably just end up going to dinner and a movie or something. Something simple where we can just talk, get to know each other more"

"Fair enough, that makes sense. Well you look great, I'm sure it'll be amazing!" she replied as Santana grinned nervously "Don't worry! Anyway, I have an audition in the morning so I have to go!"

"Oh what for?" Santana stood to lead her out of the apartment

"Les Miserables. Off Broadway, but it'll look great on my resume so fingers crossed!" she hugged Santana and wished her luck before leaving, and Santana sighed, resting her back against the wall. She crossed to the mirror to look at her outfit again, before running back into the bedroom to change again.

-ooOoo-

Two outfits later, she had left her building, via the stairs, and was walking towards the corner, where the blonde was already stood.

"You made it! I was worried the curse of Floor Six would come back with a vengeance" Quinn laughed as they hugged

"Stairs. I wasn't risking it. You look very nice" Santana grinned

"Thank you, I could say the same to you" Quinn smiled nervously and Santana blushed

"So what do you want to do?" Santana smiled as they began to walk up the street

"I have no idea. I'm so sorry but I've been planning for Christmas and I go in a few days and my head is so messed up today!" Quinn cringed as she apologized but the brunette laughed and took her hand

"Shut up. We will find something to do, and have an awesome time, and I know so because I'm wearing my lucky underwear. Nothing can go wrong."

"Nothing can go wrong?" Quinn raised a sceptical eyebrow and Santana nodded

"Nothing can go wrong. Nothing has ever gone wrong while I am wearing this underwear" she smiled confidently and Quinn giggled

"Well I will hold you to that."

"Do you trust me?" she glanced to the blonde at her side

"...Yes. Why?"

"I have an idea..."

-ooOoo-

They reached the subway station a few minutes later, and Santana dragged Quinn over to the map on the wall. She stood behind and placed her gloved hands over the blonde's eyes

"Point."

"What?" Quinn frowned under her hands

"Point to the map. Wherever you point, we will go."

The blonde laughed "Okay" and pulled off her glove. Her hand wavered in the air for a moment, before stabbing at the clear plastic

"Okay, that's where we are now." Santana rolled her eyes as Quinn pulled her hands away with a giggle "Are you sure you can't see?"

"Your gloves are like bear hands, of course I can't. Sorry, let's go again" Santana laughed and covered the girl's eyes again and she stabbed the board once more

"Okay, we are going to Manhattan. We're in for a long ride" Santana grinned

"Are you sure?" the blonde bit her lip "It's kind of far"

"You pointed. Decision made." They started to walk through the station

"Ooh let's go to Central Park! Or the Empire State building?" Quinn grinned

"I've never been to either" she blushed, and Quinn gaped

"Oh my God! You're one of _those _New Yorkers?" she looked disgusted

"Yes. I confess, yes I am. I've never been to the tourist spots"

"Well neither have I, but you've been here so much longer. Shame on you." She shook her head an Santana laughed as they stepped onto the train.

-ooOoo-

"Are you sure about this?"

"Why?" Quinn bit her lip

"Well, before we pay an arm and a leg to go up there, I feel I should remind you that you couldn't even climb a step-ladder to ceiling height. Are you sure?" Santana frowned as they queued

"Not at all. But this is kind of different. It's not a rickety step ladder, it's a building...just a really, _really _tall one..."

"And when we get to the top, we can throw things?"

"Santana! No we can't! Did you know that dropping a penny off the top could kill someone below because it's so high that it gains _that much _momentum?" Quinn stared at her wide-eyed

"Oh God. I thought you were fun; you're going all Berry on me" She pouted and the blonde giggled as they reached the front of the queue "I'll pay"

"No I'll pay"

"I insist" Santana rolled her eyes at the blonde paid, who smiled inwardly. _She's paying. This is a real date. Santana is taking me on a date. I'm on a date with Santana._

-ooOoo-

"Are you okay?" They reached the top and Quinn hesitated as people started to walk to the edge.

"Um...yeah..." she took Santana's hand with a small cough

"Don't worry everything's fine. Lucky underwear" Santana smiled reassuringly and Quinn giggled nervously

"Yes. Lucky underwear." They inched forward and Quinn gulped, still grasping Santana's hand tightly. She stared at Quinn's nervous face "It's a nice view? You can see it from here" They were far from the edge, but the skyline could still be seen, and the blonde nodded with a gulp "Come on let's go"

"No, just, gimme a sec" she looked apologetic, breathing deeply

"Quinn you hate heights. I love your Sleepless in Seattle idea, but you're in hell." Santana laughed

"But you paid a lot to come up here" she winced, but Santana shrugged

"Buy me a hotdog and we're even."

-ooOoo-

"So how come you've never been to these places?" Quinn asked through a bite of her hotdog, as they entered Central Park

"I dunno. There are parks everywhere, what makes this one special?" she frowned

"It's...big?" Quinn shrugged and Santana laughed

"Size doesn't matter, Quinn" Santana winked and Quinn giggled, "So...when did you move to New York?" the brunette asked as she bit into her own hot dog

"Um...about two years ago I was living with my brother, we had an apartment together, and I was working in a coffee shop"

"I see"

"And a bar"

"Two jobs. Nice"

"And running a cupcake business from our kitchen."

"Wow."

"Then my brother met his girlfriend, and I got sick of working three jobs. So he found a place with her and my aunt invested and I started the bakery. Things are going really well, nearly paid my aunt back, and I met a really cute girl in the progress"

"Awh, you're so-" she screamed as a teenage boy on a skateboard came flying past, knocking into the brunette and sending her careering into the blonde. They pulled apart as Santana screamed expletives at the skateboarder, wincing before looking down. Their coats were covered in mustard and ketchup, and their hotdogs lay in a messy pile on the path.

"Nice. Are you okay?" Quinn surveyed the brunette who nodded with a shrug

"Yeah, I'm not hurt or anything, just kind of annoyed. Do you want another hot dog?" she frowned, and Quinn pulled two napkins out of her bag. They carried on walking as they dabbed at their coats with the napkins

"No it's okay. I couldn't eat a full one now" the blonde shrugged and Santana smiled apologetically "'lucky underwear' my ass" Quinn giggled

"As I was_ going_ to say" Santana continued pointedly "you're very sweet. Which bring me to my next question...Why Sweetie Pie's?"

"Why did I call it that?" she nodded "Well, before he died my Grandpa used to call me Sweetie Pie. It seemed fitting"

"I see. Cute, I like it." She grinned and Quinn smiled back, taking her hand once again

"So tell me about school and stuff. How did you end up there?"

"Just the usual you know? Studied music at college, I met Rachel when I was working as a piano player for local amateur productions, and then got my teacher degree. Applied absolutely everywhere and got my job."

"And do you still love it? Did the reality match up to your hopes?" Quinn asked, smiling at the excitement in Santana's eyes

"Oh God yeah! I teach some awesome kids, like Jeremy, and Sophie. And yeah, there's some blabbermouths and kids who refuse to listen or just don't really care about the subject that much, but think it's an excuse to mess around...or this kid called Alex who hits on me every lesson" she grimaced and Quinn laughed loudly "Thanks for the sympathy. But yeah, I love it. It's the little moments, like a kid telling me I'm their favourite teacher, or watching a kid kill the spider that's been running around my classroom and tormenting me for like two weeks! Or the other day, Jeremy and his friend Daniel were telling me about one of the math teachers, right..."

Quinn nodded with a grin

"_You know the Irish one, miss?"_

"_No" she frowned, and Daniel sighed exaggeratedly_

"_Yeah you do!"_

"_No. I don't. I don't talk to the math department that much, I have no need to."_

"_Okay, well there's this Irish math teacher, and he sucks"_

"_Jeremy!"_

"_Sorry Miss...but he does. He has no control and everyone just messes around all the time. And we were studying algebra and everyone was just ignoring him and talking and throwing stuff." Santana rolled her eyes as the boy continued "yeah, so he's writing out these math problems and trying to get people to pay attention and complete the problems and whatever. And this kid, Matty? Do you know him?" she shook her head, and Daniel interrupted_

"_Oh you'll know him! You just don't know it" he said wide- eyed "He's like six foot two! Shaved head. Apparently he has a tattoo"_

"_He's terrifying." Jeremy nodded_

"_Terrifying." _

"_Okay..." she nodded with a bemused smile_

"_Well, Matty's like, throwing stuff and stabbing Artie in the back of the next with his pencil whenever Mr C's back was turned and stuff." Jeremy chuckled at Santana's horrified expression before continuing "And Mr C is just getting more and more annoyed, and his face is getting redder and redder. And he asked Matty the answer and like, the room fell silent! And Matty just like, shrugged him off"_

"_Just shrugged him off!" Daniel echoed, in awe_

"_And he's like" the boy imitated a bad Irish accent "'Matty! Tel me the answer!' and Matty just shrugs and he's like whatever, and goes 'I dunno' and laughs in Mr C's face!"_

"_Just laughed in his face."_

"_And Mr C suddenly just flips and starts screaming! And he's screaming 'It's four Q! Four Q, Matty! Four Q!' and like, with an Irish accent...I'm pretty sure you're not allowed to scream that at kids" the boys fell about laughing, and Santana stared, wide-eyed, as she tried to hide her grin_

"_Ohhhh no." _

"No way? You're kidding me" Quinn giggled

"I kid you not. He just started screaming 'fuck you' at this kid, essentially" Santana nodded with a grin

"Oh my God! That's horrible. Yet hilarious" the blonde smiled and Santana shook her head

"How do you think I felt? I had to try and be all teacher-y and stern-"

"Stern? Really?" Quinn raised a sceptical eyebrow

"Shut up. I can be stern." She pouted

"No you can't, you're too cute and fluffy"

"Ha! Try telling Rachel and Brittany that! In fact, don't, they'd never let me live it down if you called me 'fluffy'" she scoffed, "Anyway, I had to try and keep a straight face and be all disapproving!" she laughed and Quinn sniggered "It was horrible!"

"I'm not surprised you like it so much then"

"I do" she smiled as they exited the park

"So, seeing as that d-bag knocked your hotdog away, would you like an ice cream?" Quinn grinned and Santana frowned

"Even though it's freezing cold?"

"Ice cream is ice cream. At least you won't have to worry about it melting all over your hand, will you?" she smiled smugly and Santana giggled with a nod

"Fair enough. But where can you buy ice cream in December?" she looked sceptical and Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Trust me, I know a place"

-ooOoo-

They left the small ice cream parlous a few minutes later, Quinn overjoyed and Santana confused at the concept of eating a summer snack in the middle of winter

"How did you even find this place?"

"My brother worked round here, and he found it and took me" she grinned

"Oh I see" they continued to walk and Santana checked the time "Okay, it's still really early. So where shall we go next, on this night of many adventures?"

"It _has _been a pretty mismatched night" she laughed "We've had like three dates in one so far"

"Does that mean I don't have to take you another two dates?" Santana said hopefully, and Quinn pulled a horrified expression

"How dare you. You'd be lucky to take me on _one _more date! Don't you know how to treat a lady?" she said, sticking her nose in the air and looking aloof

"Lady? Really?" Santana grinned cheekily and Quinn glared, pushing her off the curb. Santana laughed as she did so, until her scoop of ice-cream promptly fell off the cone, landing on the road with a plop.

"Ohhh, I'm so sorry!" Quinn stared wide-eyed and mouth open as Santana stared at the ice cream on the ground

"It's okay. I don't mind. It _was _good but it's not your fault" she grinned at the blonde, who looked down at her own ice cream, looking thoughtful

"You're so lucky tonight." Quinn remarked dryly, and Santana glared

"What's that? I'm getting lucky tonight? Wow, Quinn. First date" she pulled a mock horrified expression and the blonde glared at her before starting to walk away

"Come on"

They carried on walking, and after a few moments Quinn thrust her ice cream at Santana's face, slipping her free hand into Santana's, and the brunette grinned. Quinn shook the cone in front of her until Santana leaned forward and took a lick, and the blonde grinned looking satisfied. They continued to walk, Quinn occasionally holding the ice cream in front of Santana's face.

"I have an idea." Quinn grinned excitedly

"Okay..." Santana smiled

"When we finish this ice cream...we will find the nearest movie theatre. I'll secretly number all of the films showing, you choose a number and we see that film."

"But it could be _anything_!" Santana protested with a laugh

"Exactly! What's up Lopez? Don't dare?" she challenged and Santana glared with narrowed eyes

"Bring it, Fabray. We will _see_ that film! We'll see the hell out of it!"

-ooOoo-

"Oh no."

"Well, we can't stretch out eating that little" Santana frowned. They had eaten the whole of the ice cream, and were stood in front of a foreign film cinema.

"No we can't."

"But I refuse to scrap the plan. I never back down from a challenge." Santana said with fake confidence

"What languages do you speak? I can only speak, like, a tiny bit of French" Quinn frowned

"Well I have Spanish covered." She shrugged as they entered the foyer, grabbing a leaflet as they did so.

"Okay" Quinn frowned "That first one is Hungarian. And loosely translated, is called Demon Goats. I think that must be translated wrong"

"Maybe not. Next?"

"Polish film called The Love Within. That sounds creepy"

"Yeah it does. How about that one?"

"Очите и краката?" Quinn frowned as she tried to pronounce the name, and Santana nodded "Eyes and Feet. Really?" she looked sceptical

"It's that or demon goats?" Santana raised an eyebrow and Quinn giggled

"We have a winner!"

-ooOoo-

They left the movie theatre half an hour later in fits of giggles. They had spent the whole film huddled together, giggling at the back of the theatre. As it turned out, the film was a horror one full of bad special effects and over-the-top acting. Halfway through Santana had leaned over to whisper in Quinn's ear

"You be _that_ guy, and I'll be that ginger chick. Voice-overs; go!" she grinned cheekily and Quinn laughed with a bemused expression

"Okay..._'I love you, Marge. I love the way you just kicked that chair for some reason I cannot fathom. And I love you because you make beautiful pies'" _Quinn spoke in an exaggeratedly low, husky voice and Santana giggled, before replying breathlessly

"'_Well thank you, Clarence. I love you too, even though you have a hideous comb-over and ridiculously waxed moustache. But I have to come clean, my love.'_" Santana giggled

"'_What is it?'_ This is ridiculous, by the way"Quinn sounded horrified, and Santana spoke in her breathless voice again

"'_I...I did not make the pie.'_ Better than this crap_"_

"'_No!'"_

"'_Yes. I promised I'd never lie to you, and I'll never lie again bu-'"_

"'_No! You lied, Marge! I'm leaving!'" _Quinn stood up and grabbed Santana's hand, pulling her giggling out of the theatre and onto the street

"That film was horrific." Santana laughed

"Yes. Yes it truly was. Although I enjoyed our version a lot more" Quinn giggled and Santana nodded

"Blame the lucky underwear for rectifying the situation!" Santana shrugged smugly and Quinn rolled her eyes, as they started to walk to the nearest subway station.

-ooOoo-

They had just exited the subway and were walking towards their neighbourhood when it happened. It had started to rain just before they reached the subway in Manhattan, and evidently hadn't let up during the journey.

Quinn pulled her umbrella from her bag and sheltered them, as Santana stared at her in wonder. "What?" she frowned

"You're like Mary Poppins" Santana stared

"Practically perfect in every way?" Quinn winked and she giggled

"I meant the magic bag, but yeah that too." She grinned and Quinn laughed, turning to her as they stopped

"Can I break my promise now?" she bit her lip but Santana shrugged apologetically

"I'm sorry, I don't kiss on first dates" She said seriously before Quinn laughed and pulled her in. Their lips met and Santana felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. Somehow, Quinn made every kiss feel like the first. She wished she could just pause time and remember everything about every one of their kisses, and her breath caught in her throat as Quinn's free hand reached up to cup her chin as she slid her tongue into the blonde's mouth.

She smiled into the kiss, and was about to pull the blonde in closer. She didn't even register the taxi coming speeding towards them, until a torrent of water cascaded over them, drenching Santana from head to toe. Quinn pulled away in shock and stared open-mouthed at the brunette, who stood stock-still in horror. The blonde bit her lip in sympathy as Santana's look of shock became a frown of self-pity "Are you okay?"

"…yeah." She took a deep breath, and Quinn leaned forwards to give her another quick kiss "Thanks"

"Santana…" the brunette raised an eyebrow "I think you need to get rid of those lucky pants."

"I think their luck's ran out." She sighed, before giggling "Coz almost everything that _could _go wrong, has go-"

"No!" Quinn clapped a gloved hand over her mouth "We've jinxed enough for one date! Don't say anything else!" Santana laughed and the blonde removed her hand, sliding it down to take Santana's hand instead. "Come on, my place is closer; we'll go get you dried off"


	17. Happy Hour

She couldn't say exactly what she had been expecting. Until she entered the apartment, and it was exactly what she'd expected. One wall of the open-plan living area was painted bright red, and everything about the apartment just screamed Quinn. It was small and cozy, and there were aspects of the girl everywhere you looked. The sofa was more of a small loveseat, covered in bright throws and cushions, and sitting on it felt like being swallowed into the centre of the earth. The shelves were cluttered full of films and old books, with the occasional trinkets and bits and bobs. There were photo frames on every surface, full of pictures of Quinn with her brother, family or friends, beaming that huge grin in almost all of them. Scattered between the posed family photos were the occasional random candid shots of her family, and some of Quinn herself, not always paying attention, but looking effortless and beautiful. The whole apartment was light and bright and colourful, and Santana grinned as soon as she entered.

A photo by the door took her attention, and she picked it up to look before she had even removed her coat, with a wide smile. Quinn took her coat and hung it up, looking over the brunette's shoulder at the photo she was holding "My brother took that when we were on holiday in England when I was…18? 19 maybe?"

"I like it. Your brother's a really good photographer" It was a photo of Quinn, in beautiful colours of green and yellow, stood in a field full of flowers. She was stood on a rickety-looking wooden fence, looking down at the grass with a small smile, and was almost silhouetted against the sun behind.

"He should be, it's his job." Quinn shrugged as Santana slid her own coat off "Now come on, let's get you dried off and everything. I'll get you some clean clothes." Santana smiled and placed the photo frame back on the table, her heart fluttering, and followed Quinn to the bedroom. The blonde held up two pairs of identical sweatpants, mimicking Santana, and she glared before grabbing on pair. She peeled off her soaking clothes and pulled on the pants as Quinn changed and handed her a t-shirt with the slogan Happy Falker Satherhood and Santana pulled it on with a bemused smile

"It's from a cake website about professional bakers who get things wrong" Quinn explained, blushing bright red, and Santana planted a kiss on her nose

"You're cute." She grinned

Quinn took her wet clothes and bundled them into the washing machine as she pulled on a wonder woman t-shirt, and Santana crossed to the couch, folding one leg under her as she sat down, before jumping back up in shock "Careful, the couch sinks a lot, and you will get swallowed" Quinn warned from the kitchen area as she pulled cupboard doors open, surveying the contents. "Do you wanna choose a movie or something?" she smiled and Santana nodded, crossing to the shelves.

The blonde re-entered the living room with a bowl of popcorn and bar of chocolate, grinning at Santana as she placed them on the coffee table. Santana had been perusing the shelf of DVDs until another photo caught her eye. This was another of Quinn; this one in black and white, where she was stood by a lamp-post, looking back to the camera with her classic eyebrow raise. Santana giggled when she saw it and Quinn looked over curiously.

"Paris last year." She said, reminiscing, until she let out a soft giggle "Literally five seconds after that photo was taken, a pigeon took a crap on Sam's shoulder" Santana smiled "Chosen a film? If not, I do have more…but you have to promise not to tell anyone"

"What? Why?" she frowned with a smile and Quinn blushed

"If you open the drawer under the coffee table, that's where I keep my guilty pleasure films"

"Ooooh, sounds juicy!" Santana giggled and crossed to the coffee table, watching Quinn blush in anticipation. She pulled the drawer open and looked down "Weekend at Bernie's, Flash Gordon – _that is bad. _ Tremors, Batman – _what, that's an awesome film?_ The Black Cauldron, George of the Jungle, You've Got Mail– _oh my God, Quinn! This is a diamond mine of guilty pleasures! _ Ghost, 2012 – _that sucked_. Rent – _do NOT tell Rachel. _ The Little Mermaid…oh no, wait! Ohh, we have a winner!"

"Oh God, what is it?" Quinn was sat cringing on the sofa as Santana rifled through her DVD collection

"Only the best film _ever made_!" Santana grinned as she pushed the drawer closed, turning and showing the film with a flourish

"Outrageous Fortunes? Have you seen it?" Quinn jumped up and down on the couch excitedly

"Yes! Bette Midler, man! It's amazing, we're totally watching this." She handed the blonde the film, and she immediately ran round to put it in the DVD player

"She_ is_ a legend. Mermaid in a wheelchair. All I'm saying." Quinn sniggered before she joined Santana on the couch, flicking the light off as the brunette grabbed the bowl of popcorn.

-ooOoo-

They watched the film in a content almost-silence, and Santana turned to the blonde when the film finished "If I didn't like you before…I _definitely _do now"

"Um…thanks?" Quinn frowned and Santana giggled

"Which is good, because I did like you before" she grinned

"Nice save" Quinn rolled her eyes before leaning in to kiss the brunette "Even though literally _everything _that could go wrong tonight _has _gone wrong; this date has been awesome." She smiled and Santana cringed before nodding, leaning in for another kiss.

Santana lay back on the sofa as they kissed, and Quinn pulled back to slide the bowl of popcorn onto the floor, before Santana fisted the front of the blonde's t-shirt. Quinn lowered herself into the girl's kisses, holding her weight up on her arms until Santana dragged her nails gently down her back and she lost the strength, pressing her body against the brunette's instead. Santana smiled into the kiss as she repeated the movement on the blonde's back, and Quinn shuddered, digging her nails into Santana's ribs. Quinn slid her tongue into the brunette's mouth, and Santana lifted her legs to wrap them around Quinn's waist, pulling her close.

Quinn's hand slid down over the fabric of Santana's t-shirt, and her breath caught as the blonde's fingers pushed up under the hem, stroking along her hip bone. Santana moved her hand round from the blonde's back to her ribs, before finding Quinn's breastbone and pushing the girl away

"Sorry. Are you okay?" Quinn searched her face breathlessly. Santana gazed at her, and lifted her other hand to brush the blonde's hair away from her face with a gentle smile

"No, nothing"

Quinn grinned, biting her lip and Santana glanced down before leaning up, trapping the blonde's lip between her own teeth instead, and Quinn giggled, kissing the brunette again. Santana's tongue slid into her mouth and the blonde tucked her fingers into the waistband of her pants as Santana's hand moved inside her bra. The kiss deepened and Quinn's hand skimmed the brunette's ribs as she pulled at her t-shirt, and Santana sat to allow the blonde to pull it over her head and Quinn made light work of her bra clasp.

She reached up to slide the blonde's t-shirt off, discarding it on the floor with a grin "Bye bye, Wonder Woman. Although, just by the way, you were no help tonight" Quinn giggled with a look of mock horror as Santana tugged at the blonde's sweatpants, before pushing Quinn back onto the couch to pull them off in one swift motion.

"How dare you! Don't blame me, blame your _un_lucky pants!" Santana grinned down at her guiltily and Quinn pulled her down on top of her, Santana gasping at the skin contact as she did so. "Talking of which..." She hooked her fingers into the waistband of Santana's underwear as she shifted her weight, intending to turn them over and pin Santana down, but as she did so she registered the shock on Santana's face.

The brunette crashed onto the carpeted floor, and the wind was knocked out of her, as her face screwed up in pain and she let out a groan. Quinn scrambled to the edge of the couch, staring down at her in horror "Oh my God. I am _so, sorry._ Are you okay? I'm sorry!" Santana prised her eyes open with a bemused frown to look up at the blonde

"It's okay..." she coughed and Quinn winced, her hand to her mouth "Oh, I've broken my spine"

The blonde pushed the coffee table away before rolling off the sofa and onto the floor beside Santana. She swung one leg over the girl with a smile, straddling her and leaning down to place soft kisses on her neck, apologizing softly.

"Oh, I'm healed!" Santana nodded with a grin as Quinn's lips met her collarbone, skimming her hands up the blonde's back "Although these _'lucky' _pants are kicking my ass right now"

"Well, Wonder Woman will have to save you..." she grinned and Santana chuckled, biting her lip as the blonde slid her underwear down her legs.

-ooOoo-

"Oh my God, you suck at this!" Quinn complained as Santana frowned

"Come on I'm getting better! At least that time I was near your head. Besides, you can't do it either!" she shrugged from the other end of the bed

"Well how am I supposed to catch them? With my belly button?" Quinn held her hands up

"Now _that _I'd like to see! Okay fine, let's go the other way then!" Santana passed the packet across and Quinn grinned. The blonde plucked out a purple skittle and lined up her shot, Santana giggling as she closed one eye to aim, and bit her lip in concentration. She threw the skittle and Santana dived across the bed to catch it in her mouth. She immediately jumped up onto her knees, pumping her fists in celebration. Quinn cheered and grabbed Santana around the waist, dragging her down onto the bed

"That's my girl!" she grinned and Santana winked. Quinn lay between her legs, peppering kisses over her collarbones

"I have many talents" Santana placed a finger under Quinn's chin, and leaned up to kiss the blonde

"Yes. I am aware" she said suggestively and Santana giggled as Quinn resumed her kissing down her midriff

-ooOoo-

"Is it weird that I really want a burger?" Quinn frowned as she lay with her head in the crook of Santana's arm

"Oh God, you're perfect." Santana giggled, rolling to face the blonde and tangling their legs together. Quinn giggled

"No, you are" she kissed the brunette on the nose

"Although, I was thinking Mexican" Santana raised an eyebrow

"Ooh enchiladas?" Quinn grinned "Pass me the phone, baby!" she said seductively, and Santana laughed

-ooOoo-

The delivery arrived half an hour later and Santana pulled on her underwear and Quinn's t-shirt, peeking around the door as she accepted the delivery. Quinn appeared behind her, hidden by the door, slipping one hand down into her underwear and kissing over her shoulder. Santana squirmed as she paid, thanking the bemused-looking delivery guy before slamming the door and pinning Quinn against it "You are _so_ not funny!" she said seriously, her tone not matching her grinning face as she glanced down at the blonde's body "And _so_ naked." The blonde grinned and pulled her in to a kiss, pressing her body against Santana's "Okay, you're _so_ forgiven!"

She pulled away and started to walk, with difficulty, to the bedroom, with Quinn still pressed against her as she walked. They reached the bedroom and Quinn pulled a t-shirt on as Santana pulled the take-out box out of the bag, settling on the bed opposite each other. Quinn giggled as Santana took a huge bite, grinning at her with cheese dripping down her chin and they chatted as they ate. When they finished Quinn cleared the rubbish into the kitchen, before running back into the bedroom with a grin, pulling her t-shirt over her head as she did so "Okay, you're overdressed"

Santana laughed as Quinn kneeled behind Santana, pulling her t-shirt over her head "Damn, cupcake girl!" she was giggling until her phone started to ring from the bedside table

"Are you gonna answer that?" Quinn giggled, planting kisses across Santana's shoulders

Santana glanced over "It's Rachel...so...no?"

"Go on! It could be important" Quinn insisted

"Ugh. Fine. Hello?" the blonde sat back on her haunches, wrapping her legs around Santana's waist from behind

"Hey San! Are you home or still on your date?"

"Um...sort of..."

"Oh are you with Quinn? We're all at the bar do you wanna come?" Rachel sounded happy and a little bit tipsy, but Santana bit her lip

"No I can't..." Quinn's hands slid over her ribs and down her midriff, and Santana squirmed, slapping her hands away

"Oh come on! Pleeease, its happy hour!" Rachel insisted as Quinn's fingers danced up her thigh

"Oh I know." Santana replied without thinking, and Quinn's mouth dropped in shock, trying to muffle her giggles with Santana's shoulder

"Ew! OH, my God! Why? WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT? Eew!" Santana heard Rachel screaming in disgust before the girl hung up, and Santana and Quinn fell about in fits of laughter.

-ooOoo-

The alarm started blaring at six am and Quinn groaned as she reached out to slap the snooze button. Santana tiled her head down to nibble at the blonde's bare shoulder "Ugh. Do we have to get up?"

"You have school" Quinn reminded, eyes still closed as she snuggled back into Santana's embrace

"I know. And don't you need to be baking in like half an hour?"

"No. I made batches before I left last night" Quinn grinned cheekily and Santana's mouth dropped open

"So not fair." The blonde giggled and turned to face her

"Well, you don't have to go just yet do you?" Santana shook as head as she leaned in the blonde, but Quinn pulled back "No! Morning breath."

Santana rolled her eyes with a sigh "I'm sorry, but I really couldn't care less"

-ooOoo-

"Santana?" _Oh fuck._

"Hey, Rach, how are you?" _Hopefully leaving very quickly._

"It's 7am why are you in sweats?" she frowned. _Really?_

"Um...I..." Santana opened and closed her mouth and Rachel narrowed her eyes suspiciously, before grinning madly

"Ohhhh! I _see_! Well Miss Santana...haven't you been busy..." _shit._ Rachel giggled smugly and Santana cringed

"Yeah yeah, alright. I have to go, I'm late for work" she started to walk away from the grinning girl

"I'm not surprised" she winked

"Shut it, hobbit!" _Ugh._

Rachel pulled out her phone.

**Compose message To: Brittany, Jess You will never guess who I just saw...at 7am...in sweats...walking TO her apartment...just saying. R xx**

-ooOoo-

Santana skipped up the final few steps and unlocked her apartment door, grinning as she hung her coat up and flopped down on the sofa with a smile, pulling out her phone to check her messages.

**I'm sorry, Q xxx**

**What? Why? For what? S xxx**

Her heart was pounding._ Oh God. Now does she regret it? Was she just using me? Or does she regret it now that we've had sex? Am I that bad? Oh Christ. _Her phone buzzed on the desk

**You have to come back tonight, because my apartment is empty and lifeless xxxx**

She breathed a sigh of relief and rolled her eyes before texting back furiously

**Omg don't do that! I was panicking! :( xxxx**

**Why? Silly. I just can't face not seeing you for another...however many hours xxxx**

**Wanna come over? But you have to bring me food ;D xxxxx**

**Awesome :D 5 mins xxxxx**

She flipped the card over as she grabbed the TV remote, flicking the TV on to some trashy reality show and kicking off her shoes. She frowned as the next episode started and there was still no sign of Quinn. It was half an hour since her "5 mins" text

**Where are you? xxxx**

The intercom buzzed and Santana raised an eyebrow. _Spooky. _ She leaned down and grabbed her shoe, throwing at the intercom to avoid getting up. The first shoe missed, but she threw the second with vigour and cheered triumphantly as it buzzed Quinn's entry into the building

**Door is open. Refuse to get up xxxxx**

The blonde appeared moments later carrying a large grocery bag, which she placed on the counter before crossing to the sofa. She stood behind Santana, who rested her head back on the cushion and grinned up at the blonde "Hey"

"Hi there." Quinn leaned down over the brunette to give her a long kiss and Santana giggled

"Spiderman style. I like it" she winked, "So what's in the bag?"

"Well...you told me to bring food. So I brought food. And I'm going to cook it." She leaned down for another sweet kiss, before straightening up, but as she did so Santana grabbed her head and pulled her back down to stare her in the eye

"You. Are. Awesome."

Quinn giggled before crossing to the kitchen.

"Do you need any help?" Santana called with a frown

"No. I've seen your kitchen skills" Quinn replied cheekily

"Hey! Bitch, I can cook!" Santana growled over the back of the sofa and the blonde giggled

"I'm sure. But no."

"I owe you owe. A big one." Santana smiled and bit her lip as she watched the blonde pottering around her kitchen

"Take all your clothes off and we're even" Quinn winked

-ooOoo-

"What are you even making?" Santana snaked her arms around Quinn's waist from behind, dropping her chin into the crook of the blonde's next to peer over her shoulder "It smells good"

"Spaghetti Bolog-naked. That's why you have to take your clothes off" Quinn nodded seriously, turning in Santana's arms to face her

"You're a sneaky one, Quinn Fabray" Santana narrowed her eyes with a giggle as the blonde grinned and wrapped her arms around Santana's neck and pulled her in for a kiss.


	18. Runs in the Family

"Do I have to go?" Santana groaned. It was early afternoon, but she was still laid in bed, on the phone to the blonde and attempting to ignore the flashing clock on the bedside table

"Yes." Quinn giggled

She pouted "Why?"

"Just think of Luke's little face"

"Oh, no! You _had_ to play the Luke card! Cute little bastard gets me every time" she grinned. "I just can't be bothered! I still have to get ready_ and_ finish packing, then get to the airport, book in, get on a _two hour_ flight which will probably be full of screaming babies and fat people who need three seats each, get my rental car and then drive for like over an hour to get to my parents house."

"I know, you've told me" Quinn laughed and Santana sighed impatiently

"I know, but I don't want to!" Santana pouted "Ugh. But you got there safe, huh?"

"Yup. And the arguments have already begun. We drove out the other day, and Sam and his girlfriend went shopping, so I got the day with my Aunt Clara by myself, which was nice. We did some baking, coz I don't get to do enough of _that_ recently." She laughed "But needs must. Mom and Dad arrived yesterday and my aunt, uncle, Hayley and Claire should arrive in...oh, about an hour?"

"Arguments? Like what? No one's being mean to my girl are they? Coz I'll have to come back to kick their asses!"

"No, just the usual, Maleficent being a bitch, Mom and Dad bickering, Sam oblivious, Mom nagging me while I hide up here, staring at the view and dreading this next week" she giggled and Santana sighed

"Oh honey. I'm sure you'll enjoy it really, once things get going. Okay, I'm sorry but I'd better go. I'm dressed and pretty much packed so I have to at least_ attempt_ to get to the airport to relieve my conscience."

-ooOoo-

Santana pulled up onto the familiar driveway with a tired sigh, before jumping out of the car with a grin. She grabbed her duffel bag from the back seat and trudged up the snowy garden path. The ground underneath her feet was covered in a thick, fluffy layer of snow, and she giggled, finally feeling the first twinges of Christmas excitement. It was easier to get in the spirit when you were in the Ohio suburbs and not on the slushy streets of New York.

She climbed the steps to the front door and pushed it over with a grin, shouting her greetings as she did so "Mami! Papi! I'm here!" she stomped her feet in the porch to knock off the snow before kicking off her sneakers and pulling her coat off, as her mother appeared from the kitchen

"Santana! Oh, it's been so long, let me look at you!" she pulled her into a tight hug with a grin before holding her at arm's length "Ah, beautiful as ever, baby!" she winked and Santana giggled

"Baby girl! How was the journey?" her father appeared from the den with a grin

"I knew you'd say that. It was fine, thank you. How are you both?" he nodded with a smile, "Are Benny and Olivia here yet? And Luke?" she asked with her grin but her mother shook her head as they followed her into the kitchen

"No, they're arriving later tonight. But don't you get Luke all excited, he'll be going to bed as soon as they arrive and I know what you're like!" she waved a wooden spoon at Santana, who sat down at the large kitchen table with a bashful grin, and her father waved a finger at her with mock seriousness before he left in the direction of the den once again

"I won't! Is Papi watching sports again?" her mother nodded and she rolled her eyes "Some things just never change. Okay, let me go unpack and I'll be right back"

She went to the hall to retrieve her bag before heading up to her old room to unpack. As she twisted the door handle and pushed the door open, she felt the familiar pang of reminiscence. Unlike her brother's larger room, which had been redecorated for guests, her bedroom was still almost exactly as she had left it when she moved to college. The same black patterned wallpaper, her dresser still covered in bits and bobs, and her old fur rug still on the floor. The only thing missing were the clothes and signs of it actually being lived-in. Even the old fedora she used to love was still hooked on the back of the door, and she giggled as she threw her bag on the floor and jumped to flop down on the bed

-ooOoo-

"Quinnie! Dinner time!" her mother's voice shrieked up this attic stairs

"Coming!" _What am I, 12?_

She slammed her book down, pages-down, on the table beside her before wincing and picking it back up again, finding a receipt in her pocket for a bookmark and checking the cracked spine as she placed it down gently with a mumbled apology. She slumped down the two flights of stairs with a deep breath, and entered the dining room where the family was already seated around the table. She sat down at the remaining space, beside her mother, and smiled politely "Sorry."

"No worries dear" her Aunt Clara grinned from the head of the table "Well, come on guys, tuck in!"

They all served themselves and began chatting and catching up as they ate, Quinn somewhat subdued as her cousins updated everyone on their hormone-fuelled social lives, until her mother's beady gaze turned on her "So Quinnie…no boyfriend for you yet?" she gave a tight smile and Quinn felt her ears growing red

"No Mom. Still no" she glanced up to the end of the table, where her old aunt gave her a reassuring wink. Aside from Sam and his girlfriend, Aunt Clara was the only member of the family who knew Quinn's little secret, and she intended to keep it that way for as long as possible. Her mother sighed with a concerned frown, and Quinn turned her head to her Aunt and Uncle on the other side to change the conversation "So how are you guys? It's been forever!"

"Well it wouldn't seem like forever if you had facebook, _Quinn_" Claire glared at her, but Hayley, the older of the two, interrupted

"Oh she _has _facebook, she just doesn't accept requests. From her own family. Flesh and blood." She smiled sarcastically and Quinn blushed, speechless "Anyone would think you had something to hide" _Oh God. You little bitch. Is my profile public? It definitely says Interested In: Women. But I'll need to check my settings. And change them. Oh God, how do I change them?_

"I…I don't really use it that often" she shrugged casually and Claire raised an eyebrow. _Oh, ew. That runs in the family._

"Anyway! So…Sam, Sugar, how are you?" her great-aunt sensed Quinn's discomfort. Sam opened his mouth to answer with a grin but Sugar cut across him

"Fine. Everything's great. We're so happy," she glared pointedly at Quinn, who stared back, wide-eyed with confusion "and Sam's work is going really well! And I just got a new modelling job," she fluttered her eyelashes and Quinn grimaced "and our whole life is coming together, isn't it, honey?" She wrapped her hands around Sam's bicep and he nodded uncomfortably

"Yeah…honey" _So we know what Maleficent's fishing for this Christmas. _She glanced up at her aunt, muffling a giggle at the old woman's unimpressed, bemused expression.

Quinn turned her attention back to her mash potatoes, grateful for no longer being the centre of unwanted attention, and thought of Santana. She should probably tell her parents now that she had an official girlfriend. Well, sort of. She assumed they were official as Santana kept calling her "my girl" and they'd spent every night together since their date. But telling them would definitely ruin Christmas. Her father had barely said two words to her anyway, never mind if she suddenly sprang out of the Christmas closet. It would be like blasphemy in this household. Poisoning baby Jesus' innocence or something.

She sighed as they all finished clearing the table, the excited anticipation rising as her foot hit the bottom step of the stairs, her mind already in the beautiful attic room and her nose in Pride and Prejudice, but her father's voice brought her back down to the ground floor with a thump "Quinnie?"

"Dad?" she turned around with a bright grin

"Aren't you going to come and sit with the family?" he looked disapproving, and she lied swiftly

"Yeah, of course, but I left the window open to air out the room, it was a little stuffy," she nodded "But don't want it getting too cold!" she giggled, running up the stairs "Won't be a minute!"

As soon as she was out of earshot she groaned, sitting down at the bottom of the attic stairs and dropping her head into her hands. She loved Christmas, and loved everything about these family Christmases, even the bickering and snide comments were almost comedic they were so irritating. And if she didn't laugh she'd cry; ironic that you needed a sense of humour to cope around such a humourless family.

She heard the creaking of the landing as footsteps came towards her, and immediately jumped with a bright smile in case it was her father again, but she was met with a much worse sight

"Quinn" the girl glared

"Sugar!" she forced the smile to stay plastered on her face, although the other girl's expression hardly mirrored her own.

"What are you doing sneaking around?" she narrowed her eyes suspiciously, folding her arms. _Jesus Christ. I was about to sneak into your room to cut up all your clothes and write STAY AWAY FROM MY BROTHER in blood on the wall._

"I'm not sneaking around." She shrugged "I was just closing my window, and now I'm going downstairs to join everyone. Are you coming?" she smiled politely and Sugar smiled back, her fake veneer almost as flawless as Quinn's

"Sure, just let me tidy myself up a little. Got to look good for your brother" she tittered and winked slyly. _Ew._

"Well I'll see you down there then." _And in hell._

-ooOoo-

"Wait a minute…I know _that_ voice…" Santana smirked, poking her head out into the hall, catching the eye of the small boy removing his shoes

"AUNTIE SAN!" _Definitely a Lopez man, with that booming voice._ He ran towards her and she stepped out to pull him into her arms, swinging him up into the air and spinning round, before pulling him back down to settle on her hip

"Hey there, mi pequeño hombre! Although, you're not so little anymore, huh?" She grinned at him, both lost in their world while the 'adults' greeted each other in the porch

"No, I'm almost as tall as Abuelito!" the boy grinned back and she nodded

"Yeah you are! But he's shrinking coz he's old now. Eventually you'll have to stay here so you can reach shelves for him when he's too small!" she teased, and he giggled, showing a row of perfectly white baby teeth

"No, I can't!" he frowned, wide eyed

"Why not? Don't say that, you'll break Abuelito's heart!" she pulled a face of mock horror

"I have school!" he protested, his hands held up in despair, and she giggled

"Oh well, school is _so_ much more important! Do you like it?" she leaned over to peck her brother and his wife's cheeks as they passed, following them into the kitchen

"Yes. Although my teacher is kind of mean. She's not cool like you, Auntie san" he grinned and she leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"You little sweet-talker, you" He allowed her, with a grimace, before wiping his cheek in disgust when she pulled away, and she looked hurt "How dare you? I'm gonna get you for that!" she pulled him close, covering him in sloppy kisses and he squirmed and laughed as he tried to escape and push her away, and she eventually relented. "See, that's what you get. You'll remember that next time" she said dangerously before swinging him back down to the floor, ruffling his hair as he ran to her parents.

"Thanks, San. I was afraid you'd get him worked up before bed. Knew I could trust you" her brother deadpanned as they watched the boy running around the kitchen giggling

"Leave her alone! He was bound to be excited." Her sister-in-law defended

"Thank you, Olivia!" Santana smirked, triumphant as her brother rolled his eyes

"Although, just so you know, it's now _your_ responsibility to get him to sleep" her sister added and Santana scowled at their teasing, before going to the cupboard to set the table for dinner.

-ooOoo-

The next morning Quinn woke early, to see her Aunt leaning over her, placing a pretty tea cup on the bedside table. It would have been alarming, as she had definitely locked the door last night, had she not known that the woman had another key "Oh, morning…" she sat up and shifted her legs before patting the bed next to her, and the older woman sat down as Quinn reached out for the cup.

This was another thing she loved about this house. Tea. Her Aunt Clara was the only other member of the family that drank tea, and this was another reason she much preferred to visiting here than her parent's house. Along with the lack of expectation, stern disapproval and general air of angst and misery that her parent's household seemed to exude.

"Good morning dear, did you sleep alright?" the woman smiled and Quinn nodded sleepily

"You know I did" she grinned and the older woman laughed with a nod "I always do. What time is it, is everyone else already up?"

"Good God no, it's only ten after all" the woman replied with an eye-roll, and Quinn giggled. She definitely took after her great-aunt. Not only in looks, although they did look almost identical from what Quinn had seen of old photos of the woman, but also in tastes, mannerisms and general outlook on the world. Both were easy-going and accepting, forgiving and un-judgemental, and Quinn cherished the woman more than anything else she could think of. _Apart from maybe Santana._ _Woah, where did that come from?_

The older woman caught the blonde's cheeky grin, and raised an eyebrow. _Definitely runs in the family. _"What are you so happy about?" she smiled

"Well…it's nothing really…but…" she bit her lip, attempting to stop her grin "There is this girl"

"Oh, really? Tell me about her" she settled herself more comfortably on the bed, turning to the blonde with excited eyes

"Well she's called Santana. She is…just completely beautiful. She's funny and sweet" she giggled and the older woman looked on fondly "she likes to think she's cool and collected, but actually she's really not, she's a total dork. She's a music teacher at a high school, and she's so passionate about her job; it's amazing hearing her talk about it! She's really passionate about everything, actually, and an amazing singer. Feisty, a little bit temperamental sometimes, but she's secretly really sweet and cute" she trailed off as she got lost in her memories, and her aunt patted her on the leg

"She sounds like a real character. And I mean that in a good way. You seem very happy" she smiled and Quinn nodded

"I am. I really am"

"Good. Okay, I'm going to go make some breakfast for when the rest of this lot finally surface" she winked as she stood from the bed, and Quinn grinned

"I'll be down to help in a minute" she swung her legs out of the bed, wriggling her toes against the cold floorboards as she stretched, yawning. She sighed happily as she gazed around the room.

This was her favourite room in the house, not only because it was hers, but because it was decorated so beautifully. It was filled with white French-style furniture, and the whole room had an air of shabby-chic. Light blue gingham drapes hung at the large circular window, and a large ornate mirror hung above the dresser. The bed covers were bright white cotton, with small blue as red flowers embroidered across the fabric, and a fleece red blanket covered the foot of the bed. Little hearts hung on the wall by the bed, with inspirational words etched into the wood, and although they were currently scattered across the floor, the bed could usually be covered in blue and red cushions and turned into a day-bed. Below the window there was a red wing-backed chair, and this was possibly Quinn's favourite place on earth.

She crossed to the window and pulled back a curtain, grinning as she took in the snow-scene below and the New York skyline backdrop. She immediately grabbed her phone from the bedside table and took a photo, sending it to Santana immediately. **Told you my view was perfect xxxx**

She was surprised when the girl replied almost instantly **Wow. Jealous, I'm in the middle of suburbia. Although right now I'm watching Luke stuffing his face with Lucky Charms, and can't complain about my view either :D my boy 3 xxxxx**

**You're so cute. That why you're up so early? Xxxxx**

**Yes. Love him but he had me up at 8am by throwing superhero action figures at my bed until I got up, I nearly cried xxxxx**

She grinned before saying goodbye and placing the phone in her drawer, changing quickly and meeting her great-aunt in the kitchen a few minutes later to assist with pancake-making.

-ooOoo-

"So what are we doing today, mi hombre? Any ideas?" she sat opposite him at the table with a grin, and he stared back, frowning thoughtfully before giving a large shrug. The rest of the family had officially left for the day and they were sat at the kitchen table, Santana in her Spongebob bottoms and Quinn's Happy Salker Fatherhood t-shirt, and Luke in his Spiderman costume pyjamas.

"Well…I have an idea. See, my friend taught me to do something new last week…so how's about we make a gingerbread house?" she smiled, and Luke's face lit up as he stared at her wide eyed, before grinning and nodding enthusiastically. She giggled with a nod as she got up to collect ingredients while Luke jumped down from his chair and dragged it across to the counter, before washing his hands thoroughly. "Good boy" she grinned, placing all of the ingredients on the counter and washing her own as the boy looked through the various bags and packets in front of him.

They giggled as they worked, flicking flour at each other and arguing over who was the better baker. While the gingerbread was baking, Luke stared out of the window at the untouched snow in the back garden, and Santana watched him as she washed up the dirty mixing bowls "What's up, chica?"

He shrugged "Nothing"

"You wanna go play?" she raised an eyebrow and he turned to face her with a bashful grin before nodding "Come on!" she abandoned the washing up and grabbed the small boy, hoisting him over her shoulder in a fireman's lift before running up the stairs. She placed the giggling boy back on his feet at the doorway to her brother's room before entering the room next door to get changed. When they were both sufficiently wrapped up, and she had ensured the boy was twice the size due to his thick layers, she pulled her sneakers on and laced up his snow boots before they entered the garden.

They started to build a snowman, Luke giggling as he threw snow down Santana's neck, until she chased him down and threw him to the ground, laying her body on top of him and squishing him into the snow. She peeked into the house every now and then to check the gingerbread, pulling it out of the oven and leaving it to cool as the boy finished the snowman, placing one of his father's hats on its head. Santana pulled out her phone and set it on the window sill on a timer, before crossing to the boy in the garden, picking him up so he would fit in the frame, and they grinned beside the snow figure as the photo took.

She immediately sent the photo to the blonde in New York, before they returned to the house to change back into pyjamas and finish their house. "Auntie San, who did you send that photo to?" he asked as he pulled off his coat

"My special friend, Quinn" she grinned down at him and he nodded

"Special friend like Uncle Jack's special friend?" _Oh God. The day is finally here. Yes, exactly like Uncle Jack and his 'special friend' Garret. Am I allowed to tell him? I never asked Benny and Olivia. Although Jack is _her _brother. Wow, Benny and Olivia both have gay siblings. That's weird. Should I tell him? Oh God. Will he even understand? He's only young, what if he doesn't, and asks questions, and I have to try and explain? Jesus, it took me four years to understand, and he's only seven!_

"Um…yes. Like that" she frowned

"Oh. Okay" he smiled, before running up the stairs to retrieve his pyjamas. _Oh. Anti-climax._

Back in the kitchen a few moments later, Santana took a deep breath as they started building the confectionery building. When they finished, she had to admit that although it was a little wonky, it was definitely sturdy and looked delicious. And best of all, it was still standing. She grinned at the delighted boy beside her, and he insisted on taking another photo to send to her 'special friend' and she grinned down at him proudly before complying.


	19. Start as you mean to go on

Quinn sighed. It had been a very long day.

Not a bad one, just a long one. She loved Christmas, but couldn't help being relieved that it was finally over for another year. The whole family sat around the living room watching Elf in a peaceful silence, but Quinn was lost in her own world. She counted up the amount of people she had bought presents for this year, and would have to buy next year. _Twelve months until next Christmas. If I start buying my presents now…and buy one a month…I won't have enough time to buy everyone's presents. That's depressing._

She pulled out her phone, grinning when she saw Santana's Merry Christmas text from the morning, "What's wrong with you? Is that your secret boyfriend or something?" Hayley smirked, exchanging a smug glance with Claire as Quinn blushed. Sugar gave a snort of derision and Quinn glared at her as Sam gave his girlfriend a small nudge and warning glance. Quinn rolled her eyes; Sugar was clearly bitter about the fact that Sam had produced new running shoes for Christmas, and now a little blue box.

"Wouldn't you like to know" Quinn shot back and the girls scowled back at her. She was sat on the floor at her great-aunt's feet, who reached out subtly to pat her shoulder, and Quinn smiled up at her gratefully. She turned her attention back to her phone, scrolling back up their conversations to re-read Santana's messages. She came across the two pictures from before Christmas, and grinned when she saw the two smiling faces looking back at her. Santana had been right, Luke was definitely a cutie; he looked just like the brunette, only younger and male, obviously. Same shape eyes, same toothy grin. She hid her giggles through tight lips, ignoring suspicious looks from the teenage girls and Sugar, until the girl on the couch spoke up

"God Quinn, are you re-reading conversations? That's so _gay_" she said, rolling her eyes. Quinn swallowed, making a show of laughing off the comment, but she noticed Sam's jaw tense. His arm wrapped around Sugar tightened lovingly, and only Quinn saw him dig a finger into the girl's ribs with a subtle glare. The girl's eyes darted across to Quinn's and narrowed, before she turned her face up to Sam's, cupping his face in her hands and pulling him in for a long kiss, but he pulled away after a few moments, "I love you _so_ much, baby" she said intensely, pressing her forehead against his, but flashing her eyes at Quinn. _ What is wrong with you? Are you expecting me to cry or something, like 'Oh, I'm so jealous that you get to kiss my brother and I don't?' Okay eew, I made _myself _feel ill with that one. Serious bunny boiler potential there, Sammy boy. Enjoy that. _

She rolled her eyes with a grimace as Sam shifted uncomfortably, eyes darting to his family members as they all turned their attention back to the film. Her father's gaze rested on Quinn a moment longer before he turned back to the film with a frown. She gulped.

One more Day.

-ooOoo-

"I'll see you soon, okay?" she knelt at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at the pouting boy on the fifth step. He didn't reply "Come on, Lukey. You know I'll come and visit next time you have school holidays, yeah? Don't be sad, please"

She reached up and placed a hand on his knee, but the boy immediately stood up and threw himself into her arms. She lifted him into the air and pulled him into a tight hug, breathing him in with her eyes closed as she bit her lip with a frown.

"I don't want you to go. I'll miss you" he said quietly in her ear and she smiled sadly

"And you know I'll miss you too. But I promise it won't be for long, okay? And I'll call you as soon as I get home." He frowned "Just you though, I don't wanna talk to all the boring grown-ups" she winked and he smiled "Besides, you have to get back to school soon, and so do I, and if we never go home then you'll miss all your friends"

"And you'll miss yours" he nodded intelligently and she grinned fondly

"Yes, I will. And aren't you excited to see your friends and tell them all about your new racing car and bike and all the other cool stuff you got for Christmas?" he looked thoughtful before nodding shyly, as a huge grin spread across his face "Exactly. So we have to go home. But I will call you as soon as I'm home, and if you ask Mami and Papi nicely, they'll let you call me whenever you miss me, okay?"

"Okay" he leaned in to hug her again with a small sigh, and she squeezed tight before placing him back on the floor and picking up her bag. She said her goodbyes to the rest of her family before grabbing her bag and moving to the doorway, stooping to kiss the boy on the forehead and ruffling his hair before she left.

She sighed heavily as she sat back in the rental car.

Home time.

-ooOoo-

Quinn grinned as the intercom buzzed, pushing the door open and rushing to the elevator. She stabbed the button and danced with nervous excitement until the doors slid open again and she rushed to Santana's door. She knocked briefly before pushing the door open, her smile growing as she saw the brunette laid on the sofa.

"Hey!" Santana immediately jumped over the back of the couch and rushed towards her with a grin as Quinn dropped her bag and pulled off her coat. She stepped forward as the brunette leaped into her arms, and Quinn hoisted her off the floor, the brunette wrapping her legs around Quinn's waist as she did so.

"Hello there" Quinn grinned, leaning in to kiss her as she stepped toward the couch, still holding the girl around her waist, before dropping her down on the sofa and collapsing on top of her "Oh, I missed you!"

"I missed you too" Santana hadn't relinquished her grip of the blonde's waist, and her arms were still wrapped around her neck as she pulled her in for another longer kiss "It felt like forever yesterday. I'm so glad you're back"

"Well I'm here now" she grinned, nuzzling at the brunette's neck "Although I haven't been home yet"

"What?" Santana's mouth dropped open

"I missed you! So I just got Sam to drop me off here" she shrugged "So can I please have a shower? I've been in the car and I feel all icky" she grimaced and Santana giggled

"Okay, on one condition…"

"Let me guess" Quinn rolled her eyes

"Exactly" Santana smirked before rolling off the couch and turning to walk to the bathroom. She slipped her t-shirt over her head as she walked away, before popping her head back round the bathroom door-frame, beckoning the blonde with a finger before she disappeared from view once again and Quinn heard the shower start up.

She jumped in the air excitedly before pulling her top off over her head and slipping off her skirt as she ran to the bathroom excitedly.

-ooOoo-

"So what did you do yesterday without me?" Quinn turned her head to look at the other girl with a content smile. She was laid on Santana's bed, still wet from the shower, with the brunette laid on top of her. Santana's chin was resting on her naked hip bone, and she was tracing lazy patterns across Quinn's torso with a small smile.

"I saw the girls for a little while at the bar. We talked about Christmas and New Year plans" she shrugged, still staring at Quinn's pale skin

"Oh? Any ideas?" she lifted a hand to stroke through the girl's dark hair

"Every year the bar has a big party, so maybe just there" she shrugged "Oh, but I _do _have big Christmas news!" she looked up at the blonde excitedly, and Quinn raised an eyebrow "Well you know how Jess and Brittany have been together like four months?"

"Yeah"

"And Jess spends like, all of her time at Rachel and Brittany's?"

"Yeah"

"…you really don't see where I'm going with this?" she stared at the blonde and Quinn giggled

"Has she moved in with them?" she guessed and Santana rolled her eyes before nodding happily "Oh my God, that's so cute!"

"I know, right? She _was _always complaining about travelling to Brittany's from home and work and everything, so Britts gave her a little extra-special Christmas present!" she winked comically and Quinn grinned

"That's so sweet! So what, they were both _here_ for Christmas?" she frowned "How did I not know that?"

"None of us did. Originally she wasn't, but she didn't want to fly out to England to see her Dad, and apparently her Mom, or 'mum' is on a Christmas cruise or something" she shrugged and Quinn laughed "Britts was always going to be staying, because you know, California's kind of far out, but she was supposed to be staying alone because Rachel was visiting her dads. Who got home in the morning yesterday, before I did"

"Right, okay…" Quinn frowned thoughtfully as she tried to make sense of it all, and Santana waited until the blonde nodded before carrying on

"So Rachel was away, Brittany thought she'd be alone for Christmas-"

"Awh" Quinn pouted and Santana rolled her eyes with a grin

"-and Jess didn't realise her 'mum' was going away, so ended up staying here with Brittany"

"Well that screams lack of communication. Or some incredible scheming from Jess" she shrugged naively, "Aawh, their own little Christmas in New York, that's so cute!" she stared at Santana, waiting, and the brunette continued

"So Britts called Rachel to check, got a new key made and asked Jess to move in on Christmas day! And she said yes!"

"They are adorable." Quinn said in wonder and Santana snorted

"I know, it almost hurts"

"Kinda soon though, isn't it?" she frowned

"I dunno. Usually I would say yes, but like, it's Jess and Brittany" she shrugged

"Yeah, it just sort of…makes sense. It's like, the most obvious thing in the world" Quinn nodded

"It just works. Like, they're just one of _those _couples. They said 'I love you' after like…two months or something." She turned back to the blonde's midriff, and Quinn smiled to herself

"They're just sort of meant to be" she replied quietly, and Santana leaned down to press her lips to the pale skin with a smile.

-ooOoo-

"Hey!" The three girls screamed as they entered the bar, and Santana embraced Rachel as Quinn grinned, pulling Brittany and Jess into a hug

"I hear congratulations are in order?" she giggled as they all slid into the booth

"Yup" Jess grinned "She's finally brainwashed me into staying permanently."

"Brainwashed" Brittany scoffed "Please, you were dying to move in. You barely had to move in any of your stuff; it was all already here!"

"That is true" Rachel nodded with a grin "I was doing our laundry the other day and it was equal thirds for clothing possession"

Santana rolled her eyes "Oh God, I forgot what it's like once you've spent a week away from Berry. I need a drink"

Santana and Quinn wandered to the bar with everyone's orders, and Santana attempted to get the attention of one of the barmen. It was only just gone nine, but the bar was more crowded than they had ever seen it, and the music was already growing steadily louder. People were crammed into every corner, and Santana would have been surprised that they had got a booth had she not known that Jess and Brittany had been there, and drinking, since around five.

"Okay, sweetie?" she turned to Quinn, who raised an eyebrow "I love you, and you know that…"

"Okay…" she frowned

"But you have to kiss me. Now." She pulled the blonde in for a long kiss, and as she pulled away the barman was immediately at their side, and Quinn rolled her eyes with a giggle. Santana placed the order and the barman was back with their drinks within a minute. Quinn winked at him as she took the tray, and the girls giggled as they returned to the table

"I saw that!" Rachel scolded "I can't believe you would flaunt and abuse your sexuality just to-"

"Hobbit. Put this" she thrust a drink at her "in your mouth. And stop talking."

Rachel glared at her, while Quinn pulled out her phone, frowning; she had a text from Sam

**What are you doing? :/ x**

**At bar with girls, you ok? Xx**

**Sug is at some modelling party full of a-holes n I'm bored. Never mind :) x**

She frowned and bit her lip and Santana eyed her warily

"You okay, Quinn?" Jess asked with a frown

"Sam's home on his own" she shrugged, looking concerned, and the brunette raised an eyebrow

"Where's Maleficent?" Santana smirked

"Apparently at some work party that Sam didn't want to go to"

"Invite him here?" Rachel smiled but Brittany held up a hand

"You can't do that!" she looked shocked, and Santana giggled

"Yeah, we don't do man-folk here!" Jess looked mock-disgusted and Rachel rolled her eyes

"Speak for yourselves" she muttered and Quinn grinned

"You guys wouldn't mind?" she raised an eyebrow and everyone shrugged.

Sam arrived half an hour later, with a big grin as Quinn jumped up to hug him. Santana watched on fondly, and Rachel slid round to next to Brittany so Sam could sit beside his sister.

"Hi guys, it's really nice to meet you" he pulled his jacket off and glanced around with a nervous smile

"Oh, sorry!" Quinn rolled her eyes with a bright grin, before pointing round the table "This is Rachel, Brittany and Jess" the girls all waved as their names were mentioned, before Quinn placed a hand on Santana's arm "And this is Santana"

"Yeah I remember you guys, it's nice to see you again" he grinned and Santana shifted uncomfortably before he stood to go to the bar

"Good luck with that" Rachel grimaced, and he frowned as he wandered off to the crowd of people

Quinn chuckled quietly as she glanced at the silent brunet beside her "Are you nervous?" she said teasingly, and Santana blushed

"No. Of course not, I don't _get _nervous." She shrugged, and Quinn rested a hand on her leg. Santana's eyes flashed to the blonde boy at the bar and she shifted with a small cough

"Yeah you are. What are you scared Sam's going to beat you up or something?" she laughed, and Santana frowned

"No. Of course not, that's stupid."

"Just admit it." The blonde shook her head knowingly, and Santana sighed

"Okay, maybe I'm a little worried he won't like me or something" she frowned, looking down into her drink as she bit her lip "I want to make a good impression and stuff"

"You are so cute. But you will. You're awesome, just don't worry about it." She leaned forward to place a kiss on Santana's temple as the boy returned

"That was weird" he looked uncomfortable and Santana's eyes widened as she gulped

"What? What's weird?" she spoke quickly and he looked vaguely alarmed

"The guy at the bar served me really quickly…"

"That _is _weird." Rachel nodded "We've been resorting to lesbian kissing and cleavage thrusting to get served" Sam laughed softly, before looking perturbed again

"…and he winked at me."

The girls looked around thoughtfully, and Brittany looked impressed "Maybe that's why the cleavage thrusting didn't work, Rach" she reflected, and Rachel nodded silently, her eyes wide with realisation.

They spent the night scrambling to the bar, attempting to work out who needed to get the attention of which barman, dancing, drinking, laughing, and dancing some more. Jess and Brittany spent most of the night wrapped around each other, and Sam and Santana were swapping partners every other song.

"Thank you _so _much for letting me come, you guys!" Sam shouted drunkenly and they all cheered

"It's no problem, Sam!" Brittany shouted back, pulling him into a hug before going back to dancing with her girlfriend

"We're glad you came! It's nice to have a boy around for a change" Rachel grinned and he slung an arm around her shoulders with a grin

"Yeah, it's so nice to have you myself" Quinn deadpanned with an eye-roll, before joining in with her brother's laughter. That was until he reached over to ruffle her hair and she squirmed away into Santana's arms, glaring at him

"Don't you mess with my woman" Santana narrowed her eyes jokingly and he raised an eyebrow in return

"Or what?" he smirked

"Don't make me start a brawl" she warned and he laughed

"Yeah whatever, you couldn't take me! Feel these guns!" he flexed and Quinn rolled her eyes

"Boys" Santana muttered with a shake of her head as Jess reached forward to squeeze his arm

"Nah, Brittany's are bigger" she grinned and Sam scowled

"I'll judge!" Rachel shouted, and Quinn laughed

"Whatever, just because you're man-deprived doesn't mean you can use this as an excuse to feel up my brother!"

"I'm just being the judge" Rachel shrugged innocently and Santana laughed as Brittany and Sam flexed, gurning wildly in the process.

-ooOoo-

Santana stood behind Quinn with a wide grin as they watched the countdown on the large screen

"10!...9!..."

Quinn turned her head to press her lips to the brunette's cheek as they chanted

"Thank you."

"What for?" she frowned, gazing at the blonde

"…being an awesome teacher."

Santana grinned at the implication, and leaned in for a quick peck.

"7!...6!..."

Jess's arms were slung over Brittany's shoulders, despite the height difference, and she was nibbling at the taller girl's bare shoulder between shouting numbers

"Baby, I love you, but get off me" Brittany laughed, reaching behind to pull the shorter girl round into a tight hug

"I'm starting as I mean to go on…" Jess grinned, and the blonde raised an eyebrow

"What, eating me?" she frowned and Jess let out a bark of laughter, choking on her drink

"Not quite what I meant, but…" she raised an eyebrow suggestively and they giggled

"4!...3!..."

Sam glanced down to check his phone with a frown. No new messages. Rachel took a deep breath, smiling fondly as she gazed at the two happy couples beside them. She almost felt jealous and lonely. Almost. But they were all _just so cute_. She rolled her eyes with a smile before turning her attention back to the screen.

"2!...1! Happy New Year!"

The bar erupted. People were hugging and kissing everywhere. Quinn turned to Sana and pulled her in for a long sweet kiss with a grin. Brittany leaned down, spinning Jess in a circle and dipping her low over her knee, giggling, before planting a sweet kiss on her lips. Rachel grinned at Sam and wrapped her arms around his neck, and he lifted her off the floor, spinning her round as they hugged, grinning.

They all turned to each other, Quinn and Sam sharing a long hug as Santana pulled Brittany and Jess into a three-way hug, as Rachel turned around and was pulled into a quick kiss by a complete stranger. The man immediately turned around as if nothing had happened, and Rachel laughed as she gave Santana a hug. Jess turned to Quinn and pulled her into a hug, before pulling back and toasting "To the newbies!" "Happy New Year!" they both laughed and drank and wished everyone else a happy New Year, and they spent the rest of the night dancing and laughing, and drinking. Lots of drinking.

-ooOoo-

Sam stumbled home to Sugar at around 3am, and the girls stayed out to party until around five., when the bar closed. They all complained as they left, not ready to go home to bed, but Brittany spoke up with a grin

"I have an idea?" she got everyone's attention "Santana you have like four bottles of liquor on top of your fridge, bring them to ours and we'll just have a mini-party?" they all whooped and cheered and set off in the direction of their apartments.

Jess leaned over to whisper in Brittany's ear as they walked, with a soft giggle "Let's go _home_" she grinned, and Brittany pulled her close against her side as they walked, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, and the shorter girl interlinked their fingers over her shoulder.

Santana and Quinn returned to her apartment before walking to the three girls' apartment, hand in hand all the way, singing and dancing their way down the street and shouting good wishes at everyone they passed on the way, despite bemused looks.

Almost two hours later, they had all passed out, strewn across the girls' apartment in various states of inebriety.


	20. The Key

"Guys! Oh my God you guys, wake up now!" Rachel ran through the apartment knocking on Brittany and Jess' door and shaking the two girls on the sofa.

"What?" Quinn lifted her head off Santana's shoulder, and the brunette groaned as she opened one eyes

"Berry what the fuck? This is not starting the year as I mean to go on" she pouted as the shorter girl bashed on the other girls' door again before running into the living room and jumping up and down in excitement. Brittany and jess emerged with confused expressions and very tangled messy hair

"What time is it?" Brittany scowled, slumping down in the arm chair in shorts and a bra, as Jess padded into the room, wrapped in nothing but a sheet

"Happy fucking new year" she muttered, avoiding eye contact and ignoring the awkward sidelong glances from the girls on the sofa.

Rachel stopped in the middle of the room, staring at them all in turn with a wide grin, taking a deep breath.

"Berry, if you don't start fucking talking, I'm going back to sleep." Santana growled, still with one eye open and a deep frown

Quinn rolled her eyes "And by that she means, 'what's up Rachel?'" she smiled brightly and Rachel nodded in appreciation as Santana scowled.

"I just got a call…from a guy…who told me…"

"Berry!" she demanded, and Quinn stifled a giggle

"That I got the part!" She started bouncing up and down again, grinning and squealing, and Brittany jumped up to give her a hug as Santana frowned at Quinn, shifting under the blonde to sit up

"Part?" Quinn raised an eyebrow, as Jess readjusted the sheet to allow herself to stand, choosing to pat the brunette on the back awkwardly instead of a hug. Rachel stepped away, nodding her thanks as she eyed the sheet, and Jess immediately sat back down with a blush

"Yes. You remember I was auditioning for Les Mis? Well I'm in! I got the part of Eponine!" she squealed again and the girls both removed themselves from the sofa to pull Rachel into a hug, as Brittany moved to sit on Jess' lap.

"So when do rehearsals and everything start?" Quinn grinned as she sat back on the sofa, Santana dropping to the floor below her. Rachel glanced at the two girls on the armchair, averting her eyes as Brittany's hand started to tug at and slide under the sheet, crossing to sit beside Quinn on the sofa with her back to them

"Next week, and the show will run for a month! Off-Broadway, of course" she shrugged glumly before grinning again "But it's being done by a really great director, and it's paid, and it'll look amazing on my resume!"

"That's really great, Rach, I'm so proud!" Brittany beamed from the arm chair

"Okay guys, you've shown your support," Rachel nodded, "Now please just go back in the room." She insisted, and Brittany scooped Jess into her arms with a grateful giggle. Jess buried her face in Brittany's chest, blushing furiously, as the blonde carried her away down the hall.

"Well, I think we should celebrate" Santana announced "It's a big deal, we should do something"

"Not the bar though, please!" Quinn warned, grimacing at the memory as her stomach turned

"Not _today _though!" Rachel corrected as she took a deep breath "Today is officially reserved for vomiting, crying and then eating"

"Start as you mean to go on" Santana nodded with a chuckle

"I think I need to get home." Quinn frowned "Although I'm _really _not looking forward to the smell of baking that fills my apartment; I need fresh air, and a shower, and my bed."

"I second that motion" Santana raised her hand before standing up, swaying slightly and swallowing, before pulling the blonde to her feet.

-ooOoo-

"Hangover's suck" Santana frowned and lowered herself into the bath warily.

The blonde grinned as she stood by the sink, wrapped in a towel and staring at her reflection in the mirror "True, but hangover days are kind of awesome" Santana nodded thoughtfully as she flicked at the bubble on the surface of the water with a sigh

"But I still feel like my head is going to explode" she pouted,

"What do you think of my head?" Quinn turned to her with a pout, and Santana giggled when the saw the girl's hair stuck up on end in a tall mohican.

"Never looked better" she grinned, sinking back into the bath with a contented sigh. Quinn perched on the toilet seat, placing her feet on the side of the bath as her hair started to droop, smiling as Santana resurfaced.

Half an hour later and they were both curled up on the sofa, wrapped in a duvet and with a large collection of films scattered around them "oh, just so you know" Quinn frowned "Later on, when I get hungry, I'm _really_ going to want tacos, or sushi. Don't let me have either."

Santana frowned, nodding slowly "Okay. Can I ask why?"

"No." she laughed "It just makes me really sick when I'm this hungover"

"That reminds me, pill time!" Santana dragged herself to the kitchen, returning with four aspirins and two glasses of water. They tipped the pills back and gulped down the water in unison, grimacing as they placed the glasses on the table in front of them while the credits started to roll on the TV

"Okay, before you get comfy, change the film" Quinn pointed the remote at the screen, ejecting the disc

"No way!" Santana protested as she crawled under the duvet once again "It's your turn!"

"But you were just up! So you're not as comfy as me" the blonde shrugged, but Santana frowned

"Well I am now so it's your turn" she pouted

"Rock paper scissors?" Quinn smiled sweetly, and Santana shoved her

"No! You're not pulling that sneaky shit, Fabray. It's. You're Turn." She prodded the blonde with her toes until Quinn stood up with a huff

"Fine! But that means I'm choosing the film" she glared, and the brunette scoffed

"Bitch, I chose all those films, I don't care which one we watch!" she shrugged with a giggle and Quinn scowled

"Oh yeah. God, you're mean when you're hungover!" she slumped back to the couch as Santana fiddled with the remote,

"I would get all offended and cute and play fight with you over that comment…" Quinn giggled "But I'm _way _too hungover. So I'll just apologize." Quinn waited and Santana frowned "What?"

"That's not apologizing" she looked around awkwardly

"I said 'I'll just apologize!'" Santana shrugged

"…but then you didn't!" she laughed "You're supposed to say 'I'll just apologize…I'm sorry'"

"Apology nazi. God, you said _I'm _mean when I'm hungover. Fine, _I'm sorry_." she rolled her eyes with a smile, and Quinn beamed

"Finally! Took you long enough, now I can forgive you" she grinned and leaned in, pulling Santana into a long kiss "Ready to get food yet? I'm really craving tacos"

"No!"

-ooOoo-

"Okay, guys, I know we're having movie night at mine, but I_ really_ need to go home and shower. I was sat next to that homeless guy _again_ on the subway. It's getting creepy." Santana whined as soon as she entered the bakery. The three girls were sat around one of the tables with smoothies and empty cupcake wrappers, and Quinn was leaning on the counter talking to them

"Maybe he wants a bit of Santana" Brittany winked with a giggle and Santana grimaced as she crossed to lean against the glass counter

"Yeah," Rachel nodded "You know what school teacher outfits do to guys" she shrugged, biting her lip, and Jess licked her lips seductively behind her. Santana looked like she was about to cry, so Quinn stepped in, placing a comforting hand on the brunette's arm

"Hey baby. Even if that guy _does_ want you, it's only because you're so beautiful. How could anyone not?" she smiled sweetly, leaning in for a kiss, but Santana frowned

"Thanks. I'm sure that was supposed to make me feel better, but I'm not sure it did" she let out a short chuckle, shaking her head, and Quinn held up her hands, rolling her eyes as her attempt at romance was ignored, "Anyway, I know we're supposed to be going to mine but I need to get home and tidy up the whole place first, _then_ take a shower"

"Well I'm almost locking up in like, half an hour?" Quinn shrugged "We won't be long?" Rachel and Brittany exchanged a knowing glance, and the brunette tilted her head expectantly

She bit her lip, "Okay Rach, you still have my spare key right?" Rachel nodded up at her knowingly with a smug smile "Well, if I go home to tidy and everything, then jump in the shower can you guys just let yourself in to the building and everything?" she looked between the girls. Quinn narrowed her eyes with a thoughtful frown, but Rachel and Brittany nodded unperturbed. Santana glanced out of the window before leaning over the counter to give the blonde a quick peck "Sorry if I smell like homeless!" she grinned as she rushed out of the door, the blonde behind the counter still frowning.

Jess' expression matched her own "Can someone tell me what just happened? And how that makes _any_ sense?"

Rachel smiled knowingly "Santana's kind of weird with things like this." Rachel began "You've never been there when Santana has had to answer the door-"

"Basically she fucking hates her intercom" Brittany interrupted "She hates that she has to walk to the little panel, she hates that she has to buzz people in and then hates waiting for them to get up the stairs or elevator and hates then having to open the door to them." Quinn's fond smile grew as the blonde spoke, while Jess' expression just grew more bemused

"It's ridiculous." Rachel shook her head "It's just Santana being impatient and...Santana"

"But yeah, so when she has stuff to do, she just makes us let ourselves in." Brittany shrugged "Which has led to a lot of awkward questions with her elderly neighbour."

"Especially when Santana was dating Tina, because she thought she was cheating on her with me" Rachel grimaced and Quinn gave a snort of derision, and Brittany and Jess burst into shocked laughter as Rachel looked over at her with an offended scowl

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that like it sounded, I didn't mean it like that!" she bit her lip with an apologetic look, and Rachel rolled her eyes, folding her arms

"Yeah, whatever. She wishes" Quinn blushed, before turning back to the till as a well-timed customer saved her from the awkward situation.

-ooOoo-

"Okay, girlies, as much fun as this has been, I have to go! Rehearsals start tomorrow and I need a full night's beauty sleep" Rachel announced as she stood up

"Yeah you do" Santana agreed, nodding seriously, and Rachel slapped her arm as she passed

"Yeah, we'd better be going, too. I'm back at work teaching tomorrow" Brittany said as she climbed off Jess' lap, before grabbing both of their jackets and throwing the girl's over to her

"Yup. Thanks for having us, guys!" Jess smiled "Probably see you in the week"

"Yeah, probably. You'll all be in to stuff your faces at some point" Quinn smiled sweetly from Santana's arms and they all grinned bashfully before shouting their goodbyes to the two girls on the sofa, Rachel closing the door behind them with a little wave.

"Hey Q?" Quinn grunted, her attention still on the TV show now playing in the corner "Did you notice Jess said 'thanks for having us, _guys_'?"

Quinn raised an eyebrow at Santana "No, I hadn't. Why?" she smiled

"Nothing. Just weird." Santana shook her head before gazing at the blonde thoughtfully "One second" she extracted herself from beneath the blonde, who frowned, confused as the brunette dashed out of the door in her pyjama bottoms and hoody.

She caught up with the girls two floors below, panting after running down the stairs "Rach!"

"Santana? Is everything ok?"

"Did Brittany leave a shoe again?" Jess said seriously, looking the blonde up and down

"No" Santana shook her head with a frown and wide eyes "Rach, I just, kind of...can I have my key back?" she bit her lip and the girl's faces all split into identical grins

"Why?" Rachel asked innocently

"Shut it, Hobbit. You know why" she rolled her eyes and held out her hand as Rachel sug around in her pocket with a wry smile

"Awh, San. You're so cute" Brittany giggled as they enjoyed Santana's embarrassment

"Here you go" Rachel handed over the key with a flourish, and the girls continued to walk down the stairs and Santana bounded back up to the apartment with an excited grin.

"Awh, guys" Jess smiled as they reached the ext floor "Our babies are all grown up."

-ooOoo-

"Hey, what was that about?" Quinn looked startled as she re-entered the apartment with a grin

"Nothing much" Santana jumped up onto the sofa, before dropping down cross-legged beside the blonde

"No seriously, what were you doing?" the blonde frowned and Santana pulled Quinn on top of her, leaning back into the couch

Santana took a deep breath "Okay, I have two things for you. The first...is this" She grinned and pulled the blonde into a deep kiss, "The second, is this..." She took the blonde's hand, turning it palm-up before placing the key gently in it

"What's this? Santana what are you doing?" Quinn stared at her wide eyed

"I'm giving you the key to my apartment" she nodded seriously, about to explain

"I'm not moving in with you." The blonde shook her head confidently as she sat back, and Santana frowned before sitting up

"Okay, hold on! I wasn't asking you to." She looked wary as Quinn gulped "I was giving you it so that when we arrange to see each other you can just come in instead of me having to press the buzzer and all that bullshit."

"Oh. Okay." Quinn took a deep breath, but Santana frowned

"You seem very relieved" she said evenly, but Quinn saw the hurt in her eyes when she looked over at the brunette

"No! I don't mean to be, I just, you know..." she trailed off, bowing her head awkwardly

"No. I kind of _don't_ know. I mean, I wasn't asking you to move in or anything, but you sure did seem pretty relieved that I wasn't" she raised an eyebrow and Quinn sighed

"Santana please don't-" she shook her head but Santana cut her off

"Don't what?"

"Freak out. I can tell you're freaking out, and please don't." She reached forward to place her hands on Santana's knees, but the brunette pulled them up to hug them to her chest instead

"I'm not freaking out" she said evenly

"Yes you are, I-"

"Don't tell me how I feel." She snapped, and Quinn looked away with a patient nod

"I'm sorry. I'm just saying that, I dunno you just sort of freaked me out, because it's really soon to be talking about...you know, it's too big a commitment" she trailed off and Santana nodded

"Jesus, good job it was the key to my apartment and not my fucking heart!" Santana rolled her eyes "I wasn't even asking that! You assumed I was, but I wasn't. And now you've kind of stolen the thunder of what was supposed to be a nice gesture. Thanks" she nodded and stood up, clearing away the dishes and walking through to the kitchen.

Quinn frowned, placing the key on the coffee table as she followed the brunette into the kitchen "Santana, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak out, it's just really soon to be talking about...stuff like that-"

"I know!" Santana held up her hands as she stacked the dishwasher

"So I freaked out a little." Quinn shrugged and Santana sighed

"It's fine, don't worry. I'll just give Rachel the key back." She shrugged casually "I mean, you'll only really use it when you're with the girls anyway so it doesn't matter which of you has it" she said casually, trying to ignore the hurt on the blonde's face as she walked back through to the living room and sat down on the sofa, staring straight ahead at the TV screen. Quinn took a deep breath, and sighed before following her.

They watched the TV show in silence for a while, cuddling slightly awkwardly, until eventually Quinn sighed "I want the key"

"Quinn, you don't have to say that" Santana shook her head "Don't worry about it, Rachel can have it" she gave the blonde a small smile, not quite meeting her eyes

"No. She can't. I'm taking it." Quinn took the key from the coffee table with a smile and dropped it into her pocket

"Look, I know you're only doing it to appease me now, so please just don't bother"

"What, you don't want me to have it now?" Quinn teased gently and Santana shrugged. Well she wasn't expecting that.

"Well, I know you don't really want it. So, it's just kind of fake now" she shrugged again, not meeting the blonde's eye, and Quinn sighed

"Okay, San I'm sorry but I have to be honest. You're being kind of stupid." She shrugged, and Santana scowled, glaring at her

"I'm being stupid now? Oh thanks, Quinn. First I try to give you a key and you practically laugh in my face and freak out, then you act all fake about it and now you're calling me stupid. Awesome, thanks." She stood up and flicked off the TV, crossing to the kitchen again, and Quinn clenched her fists in the air before following her once again

"Can you please stop waking away?" she joined Santana in the kitchen, pulling the key out of her pocket and slamming it on the counter to get Santana's attention "It's just a stupid key, look at it! I'm sorry but you _are _being a little stupid! You're being ridiculous; first you want me to have it, and yes I freaked out but I apologized and when I realised what you really meant I agreed! And now you refuse to give me it!" her voice started to rise in volume "You're right and I'd love to have the key to your apartment." She threw her arms up in exasperation, but Santana ignored her as she stared stonily out of the window, her jaw tensed "If anything I'm surprised I don't already have it! Because it just makes sense!"

"Yes! I know it does! That's why I offered!" Santana yelled back before storming out of the room. Quinn let out a small grunt of frustration before following her again, stomping around the apartment as Santana entered the bedroom

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I freaked out, I thought you meant something else and freaked out, and wouldn't you?" she held her hands up innocently but Santana glared

"Yes! Yes I would. But I wouldn't have been such a bitch about it!" Santana shrugged angrily as she started tidying the bedroom furiously, and Quinn blanched at the insult

"I didn't mean to be mean about it! And to be fair, I freaked out and _you_ were kind of a bitch about _that_!" Quinn waved her arms in the air as she spoke, before clasping her hands behind her head and breathing deeply

"Well I'm sorry that I'm also a bitch now, but my girlfriend had just turned around and kicked my nice gesture's ass!" Santana shot back before storming through to the kitchen again with a pile of dirty laundry. Quinn let out another, not-so-small, shout of frustration as she chased after her "Stop following me!"

"No!"

"You know what; just give me the key back!" Santana glared at her, not noticing the sliver of metal sat on the counter between them,

"No! I _want_ the key"

"Well you can't _have_ the key. I'm withdrawing my offer." Santana folded her arms and attempted to stare down the blonde, who tensed her jaw, refusing to look away.

"I don't care. You're not having it." She folded her arms "My girlfriend wanted me to have a key to her apartment, and I want a key to her apartment. So I'm having the key to her apartment" she spoke evenly, nodding confidently at the end and Santana sighed rolling her eyes

"Fine! Keep the fucking key! At least then I won't have to get up every time you want in!" she shrugged with a glare

"Yes. And I'll be able to get in whenever I need to."

"Perfect. Everyone's a winner." She shrugged casually.

"Yes. Yes they are." Quinn nodded, speaking evenly.

They stared at each in silence for a moment. Santana frowned slightly, attempting to hide her confusion at the change in events, as Quinn's eyes darted around the room thoughtfully.

"Are you still mad at-" Quinn frowned

"Yes." Santana cut her off harshly

"Okay. Well. I'm keeping the key."

"Good. I'm glad. I wanted you to have it."

"I want to have it."

"So are you staying over, or is that 'too big a commitment'?" Santana snarked, and Quinn closed her eyes, taking a deep breath

She held up a finger before turning on her heel and walking out of the apartment. Santana peered after her with an alarmed frown as the door closed, locking automatically, and wandered out to stand at the door, staring at the wood with a confused frown.

On the other side of the door, the blonde rifled through her pockets.

A moment later, there was a small knock on the door "Santana?"

"...yes?" she replied, more than a little confused, and slightly annoyed

"I came out here to make a gesture, and unlock the door..."

"I see...?" she frowned, more confused than ever

"...but I forgot the key." The blonde finished, resting her forehead against the door with a thump as she started to giggle.

Santana grinned on the other side of the door, shaking her head as she laughed at the blonde's mistake, before crossing quickly to the kitchen, returning to slide the key under the door a moment later. She watched as the blonde unlocked the door, stepping into the apartment in her pyjamas with a bashful smile

"You're stupid" Santana gave a small smile, holding out her arms

"I know" Quinn shook her head, cringing, as she stepped forward into the brunette's embrace. She sighed as she tilted her head into the crook of Santana's neck, who shifted to inhale the scent of limes coming from the blonde.

"I'm still mad at you" she said chewing her lip, and Quinn nodded as she pulled away

"Okay. I'm sorry" she nodded, and Santana stepped back from the embrace

"I know, it just...I don't know. Do you still want to stay?" she shrugged, and Quinn nodded slowly "Okay then. Well, you can stay" she gave a small smile, and Quinn nodded again as she watched Santana's retreating back as the girl went to get ready for bed.

She scrawled a note and stuck it on the fridge before following her.

**Jan 4****th****:**

**Our First Fight. I AM stupid, and you  
>are the most forgiving girlfriend ever.<br>I'm sorry Starlight.**

**Love Cupcake Girl  
>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<strong>

**P.S. Mad Santana is Sexy Santana ;)**


	21. Mohawk Guy

"I TRIED TO DISCOVER..."

Santana giggled quietly as she crept through the door of the blonde's apartment. It was almost two weeks since she had given Quinn a key, their argument dissipating slowly over the next few days, and the blonde had returned the favour yesterday afternoon when Santana had visited the bakery.

"...A LITTLE SOMETHING TO MAKE ME SWEETER"

She slid off her shoes and jacket, peering around the partition wall to see Quinn dancing around the kitchen, music blaring from her iPod dock in the corner.

"OH BABY REFRAIN...FROM BREAKING MY HEEEART!"

She was stood at the stove, stirring what looked like curry, and Santana grinned as she watched the oblivious blonde.

"I'M SO IN LOVE WITH YOOOUU, I'LL BE FOREVER BLUUUUE"

Santana stepped round the corner, sneaking up behind the blonde "OH BABY PLEEEEEEEEEASE!" she sang in Quinn's ear, and the blonde jumped, grabbing her chest in fright as she turned to slap Santana on the arm, wide-eyed in terror "GIVE A LITTLE RESPECT..." Santana carried on, spinning the blonde round and encircling her in her arms, and Quinn giggled before joining in

"TOOOO MEEEEE!" They both sang out the last note, falling about giggling as the song ended.

"Well hey" Quinn grinned and leaned in for a kiss, wrapping her arms around Santana's neck "Remind me to take back my key, you're abusing this right." She raised an eyebrow and glared, but Santana giggled

"No. I refuse. You knew I was coming over, what did you expect?" she shrugged innocently with a giggle

"I thought you'd take longer" she blushed

"By the way, that is the most ridiculous song _ever_." Santana laughed

Quinn pouted as the next song started "Oh, I love this song"

Santana frowned, recognising the opening bars but not being able to place it. She could play it on piano, she knew that much, but she just couldn't name it right now. Quinn rolled her eyes as the soft music played, leaning forward pressing her body against Santana's and whispering in her ear "It's Winter Song" _Winter song! That's it, of course! _ She smiled and nodded as Quinn began to sing "Bum bum bum bum bum bum bum bum..."

She started to sway a little, joining in to sing the first line "This is my winter song to you, the storm is coming soon, it rolls in from the sea." Quinn grinned, kissing her nose as she sang softly, and swaying gently with her

"My voice a beacon in the night, my words will be your light, to carry you to me" Quinn sang back to her and she smiled as they sang the chorus together, turning slowly, Quinn only pausing once to lean over her shoulder and stir the pan of chicken on the stove with a giggle. She closed her eyes and leaned in to press her forehead against the blonde's as they swayed and turned in the small space of the kitchen, before Quinn tilted her head up to trap Santana's lips between her own. Santana deepened their kiss as the song played in the background, but it could have faded into silence for all she knew, before Quinn pulled away

"This is my winter song, December never felt so wrong, coz you weren't where you belonged" Santana grinned at the change of lyrics as Quinn sang "inside my arms" she leaned in the give the brunette another soft kiss.

"Quinn?" she whispered, and the blonde raised an eyebrow before she rested her temple against Santana's "Why are we slow-dancing in your kitchen?"

"I have no idea" the blonde whispered back with a giggle "But I don't really care that much"

"Same" Santana smiled as she closed her eyes once again.

-ooOoo-

"Oh. Hey Quinn" Brittany frowned, checking shed rang the right number

"Hey, sorry, Santana's in the shower so she told me to answer. How are you?" Quinn smiled brightly as she pottered around the other girl's kitchen

"Oh right. Well I was just ringing to ask what you guys think we should do to celebrate Rachel getting that part?"

"I'm assuming we're thinking bigger than just the bar, then?" Quinn giggled, placing the phone on speaker as she began to tidy up the remnants of dinner

"Yeah, Rachel suggested it but we were thinking something more special. Jess said paintballing but Santana would probably cry or bludgeon us all to death" she said seriously

"That is _very_ true. Wow, what's bigger than the bar but smaller than paintballing?" she asked sarcastically and Brittany laughed

"I know right? What could we possibly find to do?"

"How about laser-tag?" she suggested with a hint of excitement

"LASER-TAG!" Quinn heard a voice scream in the background

"Um...am I on speaker?" she frowned

"Yes" Brittany laughed "Sorry, Jess is now jumping around the room. I think she likes the idea."

"Well, it's non-violent and non-messy, so Santana might be able to cope. And we can play five on a team?" Quinn grinned as Santana heard her name, stepping out of the bathroom with a questioning frown. "It's Brittany and Jess. Talking about laser-tag for Rachel's celebration" Quinn explained and Santana nodded thoughtfully

"Oh. Hey guys!" she called, before padding down to the bedroom

"Hi San!"

"Hey! Yeah, I'm sure we could take on a bunch of fourteen year old boys" Brittany shrugged with a giggle, before Jess' voice bellowed down the speaker again

"JUST GET SANTANA TO FLASH THEM, THEN WE'LL AMBUSH FROM BEHIND" she cried, and Santana's head popped round the bedroom door with a frown

"As much as I like your tactics, the look on Santana's face would suggest she doesn't agree" Quinn giggled, but Santana held up a hand

"Don't put words in my mouth, Fabray. That's genius!"

"I stand corrected." She laughed

"Okay, well it's karaoke night tomorrow, right? Shall we suggest and organise it all then?"

"I'M NOT WORKING TOMORROW, I'LL GOOGLE IT!" Jess shouted excitedly, and Brittan rolled her eyes

"Sounds perfect" Quinn laughed "Okay, we'll see you tomorrow night then, bye."

"SEE YOU LATER"

Brittan giggled "Bye, guys!"

-ooOoo-

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late!" Rachel bustled in to the bar, immediately striding to their booth, with a familiar blonde boy in tow "Hey, Quinn I hope you don't mind but I bumped into Sam on my way here! You don't mind if he joins, right?"

The blonde shrugged, somewhat bemused, before leaning in to her brother as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, sliding in next to her "Hey guys!" he grinned and they smiled or waved awkwardly.

"So Rachel" Brittany announced "We have the perfect idea for your celebration day!"

"Okay..." Rachel replied warily "Go on..."

"Well it was Quinn's idea but we're all agreed" Jess grinned "LASER-TAG!" she beamed and Rachel looked shocked

"Laser-tag?" she frowned

"Laser-tag" Santana nodded seriously

"Really?" Rachel sounded sceptical, and Jess scowled

"Don't you dare ruin this for me, Berry" she warned before grinning "Yeah, it's not messy or painful, we just get to go and thrash other teams. There's a few not far from here, and I found one that does teams of any size. So they'd put us in a group against other people who are there, and if there aren't enough people we can go against each other or they'll use staff members or whatever!" she grinned brightly and Rachel nodded

"Okay...laser-tag it is!" she announced with a grin, and they all toasted as Quinn grabbed the songbook from the next table, while Sam and Rachel went to the bar for another round of drinks

The blonde stared at the list of songs in wonder "They have literally every song here. Even obscure musicals and show tunes. Jersey Boys, Wicked, Avenue Q"

"My street?" Santana frowned

"_No_, the musical!" Quinn laughed "How did you guys find the _only_ bar in New York that isn't just bad eighties" she held up finger quotes "'classics'? It's amazing"

"Rachel found it" Santana shrugged knowingly, and Quinn nodded

"Oh. Figures. And they're so well organised. This ones alphabetical, that book is by year and the one the other day was by genre?" she gazed at the book in her hands, wide-eyed

"Yeah Rachel _persuaded _the last DJ to let her arrange the song lists" Santana laughed, and Brittany snorted

"Yeah, _persuaded_…" she rolled her eyes, and Jess raised a questioning eyebrow as the two others returned with the drinks

"Berry banged the DJ" Santana explained, and Rachel turned bright red

"What?" she squeaked, her voice cracking, and Brittany laughed

"We were explaining to Quinn and Jess why the songbooks are so...organised"

"You mean _anal_" Santana corrected, glancing up at the short brunette with a wry smirk

"Santana you know that is a _complete _lie!" Rachel demanded, her face bright red as she took a big gulp of her drink, while Jess, Quinn and Sam gazed around with shocked expressions "I need the bathroom" she turned on her heel and headed for the door at the back of the bar, and Santana and Brittany chortled.

"It's not even true!" Santana laughed, "She knows we know that, but it winds her up _so bad_!"

"You're mean" Quinn chastised, but her giggling and grin gave her away

-ooOoo-

A few hours later, and Rachel, Santana and Jess had all sung, along with Sam and Quinn who dueted for Mumm-Ra's She's Got You High. The current song finished and a familiar face stepped up onto the podium as Queen's Seven Seas of Rhye began to play

"Hey look!" Jess shouted over the music, pointing at the stage "Mohawk guy's back!"

"Yeah, Mohawk guy!" They chorused and toasted as he started to sing, but Sam frowned at the stage

"Hey, I know that guy! That's Puck!" He gestured to the stage, and looked at Quinn expectantly, but she frowned back with a stunned expression

"No way. Mohawk Guy is _not _Puck." She shook her head disbelievingly but he nodded

"Yeah it is! That's Puck!" he pointed insistently

"Excuse us..." Santana interjected, "But...who's Puck?" she shrugged.

Sam glanced around at the other intrigued faces before explaining "Puck is my best friend. We went to school together, and grew up together and stuff, but then lost contact in college, and didn't see each other again until a few years ago" he shrugged

"Puck didn't have a mohawk!" Quinn argued and Sam shook his head

"You realise people can change their hairstyles, right?" he replied sarcastically, and Quinn elbowed him with a pout "Besides, you had a _perm_ when you knew him." The blonde blushed as Santana smirked.

The song ended and Mohawk Guy made his way to the bar, but Sam stood up and called him over. The guy turned around, frowning before spotting Sam and he grinned, making his way over after accepting his beer from the barman

"Hey Sammy boy! How's things? And more importantly, who are these ladies?" he clinked his beer against Sam's before leaning his hand on the booth behind Rachel, smiling round the table, and Sam rolled his eyes

"You know Quinn-" he shrugged, and Puck's mouth dropped open

"No way, Quinnie! Oh my God, it's been so long! Come here!" he pulled the blonde into a hug, and she giggled when he lifted her off the floor. Santana scowled. He placed her back on the floor and turned to Santana as the blonde slid back into the booth "And who's this?" he grinned, and Santana grimaced

"This is Santana, my, my…this is Santana" Quinn's voice wavered and a blush crept up the back of her neck, but she kept her gaze cool as she stared at Puck pointedly, who frowned slightly

"Oh…okay…so hi" he waved politely and turned to the other three girls, his cocky grin back on his face, and Sam continued

"Brittany and her girlfriend Jess-" he gestured, and Puck shook their hands before glancing at Sam with a raised eyebrow

"Dude, I know you're taken and all, but what's with all the lesbos?" he muttered and they all rolled heir eyes as Sam shook his head before finishing the introductions

"And this is Rachel" she beamed up at Puck and he grinned back, before perching on the end of the booth next to her as Sam sat back down beside his sister.

"So why Puck?" she smiled "Like a Midsummer Night's Dream?"

"No, like Noah Puckerman" he gestured to himself and she nodded, a little disappointed

"I see. Well it's very nice to meet you, Noah" she grinned, and he winked.

"So how did you two get back in contact?" Santana asked as Quinn's hand slipped into her own under the table

"Um..." Puck frowned, and Sam smirked

"Puck's an underwear model now" he snorted, and the mohawked boy pouted

"Yeah I am" he winked at Rachel again as he rested his arm along the back of the booth behind her, and she shifted in her seat

"And he was one of the models for a shoot I was doing, and I didn't know he was going to be there until he appeared in a pair of Calvin Klein's. Which was...interesting" Sam frowned at the memory and Santana snorted

"That is the gayest reunion story I've _ever_ heard" she laughed, and the blonde boy blushed as Puck gave a regretful nod.

They all talk and sang and laughed, and Puck turned to Quinn when Sam was up on the stage "So...Quinn."

"Yes...Puck?" she laughed and he took a deep breath

"What do you think of Cruella?" he smirked, and she frowned, before her jaw dropped in realisation

"Oh, you mean Maleficent?" she grinned, and he nodded approvingly

"Maleficent, I like it. I went with Cruella, but I like it" He gazed thoughtfully before continuing "So what do you think of her?"

"What do _you _think of her?" she answered cautiously and he laughed

"Total bitch. I hate her."

"Oh thank God. So do I. She's just...mean." they grinned in disbelief

"Horrible. She's hot, but she has like...barely_ any _personality. And what personality she _does _have is just..."

"Horrible" Quinn nodded, and they giggled, "Sam could do so much better"

"Oh hell yeah! My boy's a catch" he nodded proudly and Santana chipped in

"We're back to the gay!" she interrupted, and they laughed before shushing each other as Sam returned to the table, smiling innocently. Santana rolled her eyes.

A few hours later Santana and Quinn left the bar. Though it was still fairly early in the night, Santana had to be at school early the next day and didn't want to be too tired in the morning, so they said their goodbyes. Sam walked them to the door pulling Quinn into a tight hug when they reached it, and kissing the top of her head before turning to the brunette, "Santana, nice to see you again" he grinned and pulled her into a hug too, and Santana stood shocked for a moment before hugging back with a small smile.

She blushed as they walked away, and Quinn slipped her hand into Santana's, nudging her with her elbow "He likes you" she grinned, and Santana's blush deepened

"Do you think?"

"He hugged you. He doesn't hug anyone." She nodded with a grin, and Santana nodded back with a frown, her expression a mixture of shock and awe, with just a hint of worry.

-ooOoo-

Santana leaned over to kiss the sleeping blonde on the forehead, making sure not to wake her, before sliding out of bed. She gave a small smile as she watched Quinn roll over and spread her limbs out across the bed, and then left to shower. She dressed quickly and had her breakfast before moving back into the bedroom, where she adjusted the time on the alarm and stuck a post it to the headboard before leaning over to kiss the blonde again as she pulled her coat on, leaving the apartment.

As she was riding the subway, she felt her phone vibrate, and pulled it out excitedly, assuming it to be Quinn. She frowned when she saw the name of a different blonde flashing on the screen, and answered curiously "Hello?"

"Hey, I have awesome news!" Brittany whispered excitedly, and she could hear Jess giggling in the background"

"What? Why are you whispering?" _Ugh. Too early for this shit._

"Because we don't want to wake Rachel" came the blonde's whispered reply. _Creepy._

"Okay...why?"

"Well put it this way, we left the bar a little while after you guys last night, and Sam, Puck and Rachel stayed there..."

"Oh God..." Santana grimaced as she heard the phone being wrestled from the blonde

"And we heard some definitely-suspicious noises when she got home!" Jess said suggestively before passing the phone back

"Oh God..."

"Yeah that's pretty accurate" Brittany snorted and Santana smirked "We can't decide who it might be, though."

Santana frowned "Sam seems more her type, but he _does_ have a girlfriend. And Rachel doesn't like that kind of stuff, she doesn't meddle with relationships." Santana reasoned.

"But Puck is _not _her type. Unless she picked up a guy? Or ran into an old bar-man friend?" Brittany giggled and Santana nodded thoughtfully

"That's definitely a-"

"WE HAVE TO GO!" Brittany whispered furiously, and Santana heard a door opening in the background before the phone cut off. She frowned and clicked into the messaging menu, sending an impatient text to Brittany, who replied quickly

**Need to see u both tonight. I need details, bitch!**

**I know. We hid so dunno who it was yet. Jess is out tonight, just us 3 at ours? Xx**

**Wow, like old times before life got fun. Let's quiz the hobbit ;D I can't wait xx**

-ooOoo-

"Okay, Hobbit. Spill your beans." Santana settled herself on the sofa, and the two girls stared expectantly at the shorter girl next to her

"What are you talking about?" she raised an eyebrow innocently and Brittany snorted

"'Oh God...oh _GOD_..._OH GOD_!'" Brittany imitated, and Santana grimaced, "We're not stupid or deaf, Rach." She rolled her eyes and Rachel stared, wide eyed and blushing furiously

"Um...I..."

"So who was it?" Santana asked impatiently with a wicked grin, and Rachel rolled her eyes

"It _was _nobody" she shifted awkwardly and Brittany retched

"Oh God, EW! That's even worse!" she clutched her chest as she stared, horrified, at Rachel

"No it's not, she's lying!" Santana crossed her arms and glared suspiciously at the brunette "Which means she didn't just pick up a random hottie, or she'd be bragging about it. Was it your old barman friend?" she nodded knowingly but Rachel grimaced

"Good God, no!"

"Ha! So it _was _a guy then!" Brittany pointed at her with an excited grin "Tell. Now."

"Was it Sam? Coz his girlfriend's apparently a total bitch, and Quinn would you forever" she nodded seriously

"Oh crap!" Rachel sighed, defeated and cursing her mistake, before taking a deep breath "You were right, Santana. It was not a stranger, nor was it my 'barman friend'"

"So..." Brittany grinned "Which one?"

"But it also...wasn't...Sam." she blushed, and looking own at her fidgeting hands as Santana and Brittany gasped in delight

"No fucking way! Hobbit and the 'Puckasaurus'" Santana giggled with an approving nod "I can see the appeal" Brittany frowned at her disbelievingly, and Santana held her hands up innocently "What? Just because I'm a lesbian? The dudes an _underwear model_, he must have a body like Hercules!"

"He was an Adonis." Rachel nodded seriously and Brittany giggled

"So, are you going to go out with him again and stuff?" she grinned excitedly, if a little confused, but Rachel's face twisted thoughtfully, her mouth hanging open as she attempted to form a sentence from her jumbled thoughts

"I...it's just that...I mean he's...well he's kind of...honestly, I don't know." She sighed "Like, he got my number last night...before we uh, _you know_, I mean-"

"Berry we're not twelve-year-olds, you fucked him." Santana interrupted, and Rachel rolled her eyes

"Yes. Well, he already had my number, and he text me this morning..." she grabbed her phone from the side and found the message before passing it to Santana, who frowned as she read it

**Hey hot jew. I don't usually do this with girls, but you're hot n jewish n my mom would like you. Do you wanna get dinner this week? Thurs at 7?**

"Wow. What a charmer" Santana tutted, handing the phone over to Brittany on the armchair

"That's got to be a line!" she shook her head, disbelieving "I mean, the 'I don't usually do this' bit, not the 'my mom would like you' coz that's probably true, you're pretty endearing to parents."

"Well yeah, but he doesn't exactly seem like the type to ask girls out, does he?" Rachel replied sceptically, shrugging off the compliment

"Yeah, everything about him screams nail-and-bail" Santana said, her voice dripping with disdain a she crossed her ankles on the coffee table

"No kisses" Brittany remarked as she re-read the text "Doesn't sound too eager"

"Honestly, I highly doubt either he _or the text_ has hidden depths, so stop reading into it" Santana waved her hands in the air as she spoke, and Rachel nodded

"You're probably right. He _was _hot, but he's not exactly the Mariana Trench" Rachel smirked, and Brittany frowned

"Deepest part of the ocean" Santana added, and the blonde nodded with a quiet 'oh'

"So one question remains" Brittany shrugged "Are you gonna go?" she grinned, and Santana turned to Rachel expectantly

"I...maybe, I mean..." Rachel frowned and Santana sighed impatiently "Santana stop sighing, I don't know!"

"Oh my God, Berry, just go. Let's face it, you haven't had any man-meat in God knows how long" Rachel grimaced "so just go. Worst comes to the worst, you'll sit in silence through a free meal and still lick whipped cream off his abs later!" The two girls stared at her, somewhat stunned. Brittany looked a little disgusted while Rachel looked mildly intrigued. "Point proven." Santana gave a satisfied smirk as she held her hand out for the phone again

"Rachel, don't go if you're not really interested if it's just going to confuse your feelings. No offence but you've never really done the whole using-someone-for-sex thing, have you?" Brittany asked, raising an eyebrow as she passed the phone back

"No..." Rachel tilted her head in acknowledgement of Brittany's point

"_But_ it's not like one post-hook up date makes you betrothed to him either; and unless he's a psycho, he'll know that. So if you wanna have some fun with him then why not?" Santana shrugged innocently and Rachel nodded

"I don't know. Although I still haven't replied and he'll probably think I'm blowing him off now anyway" she bit her lip guiltily, and Santana's eyes darted upwards involuntarily as she sighed

"Rachel, he's not a girl. It's been twelve hours not twelve minutes; he probably hasn't even thought about it"

"Yeah, _that's_ a comforting point, San" Brittany rolled her eyes, voice dripping with sarcasm

"No, he'll _definitely _have been thinking about it" Rachel nodded confidently with a smirk, and Brittany grimaced

"I know the feeling" she muttered with a shudder, while Santana looked impressed.

"Hey guys!" Jess breezed through the doors as they sat thoughtfully, and they all greeted her "What's going on? You look like someone died. Oh God, did someone die? Shit, I've proper put my foot in my mouth haven't I?"

"Baby, calm down!" Brittany laughed "We're thinking. I'll fill in details later but basically-"

"I slept with Puck, he asked me out, I don't know whether to go. Santana show her the text"

Santana handed the phone over with a smirk, and Jess frowned as she read it

"So come on. Four heads are better than one, what do you think I should do?" Rachel said conclusively and Santana shrugged while Brittany puffed air into her cheeks before blowing it out in a long stream

"I think the decision has been taken out of your hands" Jess grinned. She passed the phone back with a smirk, and Rachel glared at her with wide eyes before looking at the screen and reading the reply aloud

**That sounds delightful, thank you, Noah. I will see you at the aforementioned time and date, thank you :)**

"I do _not _talk like that!" she reached back to slap Jess' arm

"You talk _exactly_ like that!" Brittany chortled, and the three girls laughed at Rachel's expense, who pouted

"You're a scheming little rat bastard, Jess Welford."

"So...Berry's got a date!" Santana announced, grinning wickedly and clapped her hands together sarcastically, and Rachel glared again. She swallowed

"Yes, thanks to Jess...it would appear I do."


	22. Choreography

They sat in awkward silence, Noah tapping his fingers on the table as Rachel gazed around the room. She cleared her throat quietly, opening her mouth to ask a question, and he smiled expectantly. A hint of a frown graced the girl's features, and she closed her mouth again, turning her attention back to the decor in the restaurant.

"So...Rachel." Noah smiled politely "What do you do?" _Oh God he doesn't even know what I do. Seen me naked, but has no idea as to my current occupation._

"Well, I recently started attending the rehearsals of a new off-Broadway production of Les Miserables. I'm playing Eponine and opening night is in a few weeks. I'm really very excited; it _is_ off-Broadway but at least it's not off-off-Broadway" he looked confused "But it the director isthe most acclaimed I've ever worked with. Hopefully it will be a challenging and enriching experience."

Noah stared at her politely as she spoke, with a small smile "I see. So you're an actress." He nodded, impressed "That's cool. Yeah, I've seen you at the bar a few times and you're a really good singer so...cool"

"Yes. I hope to be on Broadway one day" she beamed, before realising she had been babbling for quite a while now, and looked away awkwardly.

_The decor in here really is beautiful. I like the big chandelier. I wonder if we could get one for the apartment. Probably wouldn't fit, as it's about as wide as I am tall. Not that that says much. We probably should redecorate though, what with having a new housemate and whatnot. I wonder if Jess has nice taste, it would be terrible if she wanted to fill the apartment with gaudy furnishings. Especially when I've spent so long finding reasons to not hang Brittany's giant fish painting above the TV. She probably just has cases and cases of MI5 spy gadgets or something. Sneaky bitch. That reminds me, it's rent day tomorrow._

**This is totally awkward, man. I knew I shouldn't have been polite. Stupid Sam 'dude you should ask her out, it's just polite' that worked out well. 'She's Quinn's friend and I don't want you to make it awkward for us all' that asshole. I still haven't found out that fucking football score either. Today sucks. Wonder if I could google it under the table. She'd probably notice, she seems like one of those girls that pays attention to the details. Actually, she **_**was **_**one of those girls. Heh heh. If you know what I mean. Maybe I should try to make conversation again. Look interested and stuff. At least it might get me laid again.**

"So, Rach" she frowned slightly, "Rachel, what kind of music do you like?"

"Well, most kinds really. I do have a rather large soft spot for musicals and show tunes, obviously. But I do like modern day pop and some rock. Lady Gaga." She nodded awkwardly and he smiled "What about you?"

"I like a lot of classic rock, mostly. Some other rock, I kind of like singer songwriters, too. Like The Coral, which I sang the other week at the bar..." he trailed off and she smiled

"Yeah, we were there actually! You're pretty good"

"Thanks. I'm also in a band, as well as doing the, uh...modelling" he smiled awkwardly, and she found it quite endearing that he got a little shy whenever his job was mentioned, but they fell into an awkward silence once again. They were saved by the waiter appearing with their food, and both used the opportunity to eat in silence, giving their plates their complete attention until they had both finished and could no longer find a reason to be silent.

"So how was your food?" he asked stiltedly

"It was delicious, thank you"

"I hope the restaurant's okay. I didn't know any vegan places" he looked awkward again and she grinned

"No, it's lovely. Thank you." He smiled and she nodded, and they lapsed into silence once again.

-ooOoo-

Rachel could feel the sheen of sweat on her back and her heart thumping irregularly against her chest as she lay back on the cool sheet. She licked at her dry lips as she raised a hand to her head to ruffle out her messy locks, letting her arm drop to lie across her eyes. The air in the room was hot and heavy, and she attempted to regulate her breathing as she swallowed, propping herself up on her elbows to gaze around at her surroundings.

When she had been talking about redecorating, she hadn't quite meant...this. She said a silent thanks that Brittany and Jess had taken their own date night, as this kind of disarray certainly wasn't caused in silence. The door still stood open, swaying slightly in the breeze from the open window, and there were items of clothing strewn across the floor from the door to the bed. The lamp on the dresser had fallen on its side, now balanced precariously against the mirror as a candle slowly rolled off and onto the floor. One wardrobe door hung open, the wardrobe contents were spilling out onto the floor, whilst the bedcover had slipped down to lie on the floor amongst the pile of clothes.

She bit her lip and turned to the guy in the bed next to her, laid with one arm above him, head resting on his forearm "Hey Noah?"

"Yup?" he turned his attention to her

"Let's skip the date next time." She flopped back onto the pillow and he grinned

"Yeah, it's bullshit, huh?"

She nodded up at the ceiling.

-ooOoo-

"So, Rachel and Puck?" Quinn asked disbelievingly as the four girls wandered around the aisles of the supermarket a few days later

"Seems so. He left her room that morning, pulling on his shirt. He waved and smiled, and left the apartment." Brittany shrugged, still slightly bemused "He didn't look shifty or awkward or guilty or anything. And the same this morning."

"So, are they like, a couple?" Santana asked disbelievingly

"God, they fucked twice, they're not getting married!" Jess snapped, and Santana reeled back slightly

"Yeah, friends-with-benefits seems to make more sense, knowing Puck" Quinn said casually, smoothing over the awkward moment. She pulled a few cans of soup off the shelf and placed them gently in the trolley Santana was pushing, glancing up at the brunette.

Santana gave her a wide-eyed, questioning look, and mouthed _'what was that about?'_

Quinn shrugged, shaking her head _'I have no idea'_

"Well, fair play to them then" Brittany shrugged happily "If it works for them, then why not? Although if it goes sour, I'm blaming you Santana!" she laughed, as Jess plucked a packet of kitchen rolls off the shelf, throwing it unceremoniously into the trolley. Brittany sighed, her jaw tensed.

"So I guess now Sam and Puck will be coming to laser-tag, too?" Quinn asked with a small groan and Santana shrugged

"Maybe? Why, what's up, sweetie?" she smiled as Quinn held up two jars of sauce, grabbing the one on the right and dropping it into the trolley

"Oh, I dunno. Hanging out with my big brother and his best friend he used to gang up on me in water-fights every summer? Of course I'm sure they won't do that again now that we're older and more mature" Quinn deadpanned sarcastically and Santana giggled, before her attention was caught by the English girl once again, now literally picking up a child and lifting him out of her way.

Brittany glanced back at them, and Santana raised an eyebrow. The blonde looked like she was going to reply before her eyes darted to Jess, and she simply shook her head. "Don't worry Quinn, we wouldn't let them! We'd kick their asses!" Santana grinned as Brittany indicated for Quinn to take the trolley from her when Jess' back was turned. The taller blonde sidled over to where Santana was stood looking at sauces, and spoke quietly

"Jess had an audition this morning and there was this girl there that she's been up against a few times. When they first met, they were talking before an audition and Jess showed this girl some of her own choreography, and then this bitch went first...and used Jess' choreography." The blonde's jaw tensed "So Jess had to freestyle it, and the other girl got the job. Anyway, she was up against her today and that girl is _still _using Jess' choreography in auditions. And _once again_, Jess lost out to the other girl. She lost out to her _own_ choreography, so she's kind of bitter and taking it out on everyone around her." She shrugged apologetically, "Just ignore her, it isn't personal; she just feels kind of shitty today"

"No, no it's okay." Santana shook her head, frowning "I'm not surprised she feels shitty. What a bitch."

"Are we done yet?" Jess huffed from the end of the aisle, and Brittany turned, smiling chirpily

"Sorry baby, we're right with you!" she walked back to the trolley, joining the brunette, and Quinn waited while Santana filled the trolley before joining the blonde. She filled Quinn in on the story, and by the end Quinn's mouth had dropped open in horror

"God, no wonder Jess is being a bitch! That's horrible! And, and mean and dishonest and deceitful! How can she get away with that?" she demanded with a sad frown, and Santana smiled fondly as they rounded the corner into the next aisle "It's so unfair" Quinn pouted as the brunette reached up to cup her face with a small smile

"I know, sweetie. But not everyone in the world has such a pure heart as you do" she leaned up and pressed her lips to the girl's forehead, and Quinn closed her eyes for a moment, her skin tingling from the sensation of Santana's lips.

"Hey, guys! I'd kind of like to be home before dinner time!" Jess shouted from the end of the aisle, rolling her eyes as she shoved past the same small boy again. Santana and Quinn swallowed,

"That was almost a beautiful moment" Quinn sighed with a wry smile. They mustered their resolve before plastering fake smiles on their faces and turning to Jess "Sorry!"

"We're coming!" they grinned and followed after the impatient girl.

-ooOoo-

"Jesus!" Santana slumped back against the door

"I know" Quinn replied as she dragged herself to the kitchen carrying grocery bags "I have literally told myself that story over and over in my head to keep sympathising and stop myself from screaming." She dumped the bags on the counter and Santana followed after her with the rest

"Tell me about it. I love Jess, and I sympathize with her...but jeez that was one angry British chick!" she shook her head in wonder as they began to unpack the groceries.

"It was mildly terrifying for a moment there" Quinn nodded, passing jars across to Santana who nodded her agreement "Like, when that little boy got in her way the fourth time?"

"I thought she was going to hit him. Like, literally slap the shit out of a little boy." The brunette said seriously, and Quinn giggled

"No, I thought it was more likely that she'd make Brittany pick him up and leave him on the top shelf." Santana grinned as she stocked the refrigerator, and Quinn hoisted herself up onto the counter "Still though, must be hard always being up against-"

"And losing out to" Santana added, raising an eyebrow at the injustice

"And losing out to someone who stole and is using your choreography. I'd be bitter." Quinn shrugged, and Santana packed away the last of the food before crossing to stand between the blonde's legs

"No, you wouldn't be. You could never be bitter, you're too lovely" she grinned and leaned up to kiss the blonde, who giggled

"No, I'd be bitter. I'd be like...coffee." she boasted, unconvincingly

"See. You can't even come up with a good bitterness comparison!" Santana laughed, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist and pulling her off the countertop. Quinn's legs tightened around her waist, and the brunette carried her across to the couch, tipping them over the back.

"I love how what started as a terrifying ordeal has now turned into your cute obsession" Quinn giggled as they lay upside down

"What? I kind of like this angle" Santana grinned, leaning in to the blonde again.

-ooOoo-

They were still laid on the couch two hours later, and the room had grown dark. Their only movement had been to shift round to lay down along the couch, and the only noise in the room was the sound of the blonde's voice as she spoke

"Okay this one time, my parents took me and Sam on holiday. And we saw a production of Beauty and the Beast. And I was so scared of the beast that I spent the whole production sat on my Mom's knee, crying my eyes out" Santana giggled "even though my Mom had sunburn all over her legs!"

"Oh, that must have hurt!" Santana winced with a giggle "You're cute. Talking of little kids...Luke's first Christmas, right, we were all in our rooms or making dinner and whatever, and my brother was playing with Luke in the living room. When suddenly there's a funny smell, and he realises Luke needs changing." Quinn grimaced "So he gets the changing mat and everything, lays Luke down and undoes his diaper. Then he realised that he's left the wipes and talc and everything in the other room. So he left Luke to go get them. And I walked in literally _five seconds_ later..."

"Oh God..."

"And there is just shit _everywhere_." Santana giggled "Luke had started rolling over, and my brother had left his nappy off, and it was just all over the carpet. It was half completely disgusting, and made me want to hurl, and half absolutely hilarious."

"That's just disgusting" Quinn giggled, shaking her head in disgust

"Yeah, Mami didn't find it hilarious" Santana bit back a chuckle "They had to get a new carpet because the smell wouldn't go away!"

"Oh, that's like the time with Sam and the lipstick!" Quinn shouted in epiphany, and Santana shifted to look her in the eye

"Now _this _I have to hear!"

"Okay, Mom and Dad were going out that night, and they were getting ready. It was before our sitter arrived so it was just me and Sam. He was like, four or something and I was only two. And Dad had left Mom's purse on the table in the porch. And Sam went in Mom's purse and pulled out her bright red lipstick-"

"Okay, this c_annot _end well..." Santana chuckled

"Spoiler alert; it doesn't. So he got the lipstick, and drew two big rosy circles on his cheeks, and then on mine." She giggled "And then he took the lipstick and drew _all over_ the wall." Santana gasped "It gets worse. He drew all over the wall in the hallway. The _white_ wall. Mom and Dad came down and Dad was furious, and Mom had to scrub the walls for weeks afterwards. They ended up repainting the walls like five times over the next few years, and eventually had to change the wallpaper altogether!" Quinn grimaced at the memory as Santana chuckled

"You and Sam. Little Terrorists."

"I didn't do anything, I was only two! I sort of just sat there. Like an accessory to wall-murder." They giggled "The wallpaper Mom changed it to is pale yellow too, and the lipstick stained the wall underneath, so sometimes when the light hits it right you can still see 'S + Q FuBRay' in Sam's four-year-old scrawl!"

They giggled in wonder, spending the next four hours in the same position, swapping stories of childhood through to adulthood, laughing and talking until they fell asleep on the sofa.

-ooOoo-

"Okay, I have a new rule" Rachel groaned as she sat up in bed the next morning, stretching with a yawn

"What now?" Puck grunted from the pillow next to her

"You can't stay over anymore" she shook her head firmly, before prodding him in the shoulder

"What?" he opened his eyes with a sigh

"My whole room smells like..._boy. _ All the time. If I wanted my room to smell like boy I'd get a boyfriend! Not a..." she waved her hand at him and he frowned "a Puck."

"So this whole time...I've been staying over afterwards to be polite, and you didn't want me to?" he looked stunned

"No!" she shook her head vigorously "If anything I'd rather you left as soon as possible!"

"Awesome!" he fist pumped before rolling over with a grin "And by the way, Jew Babe, you're hot when you're angry" he winked and pulled her on top of him, and she rolled her eyes

"I hate you so much" she shook her head with contempt, leaning down to kiss him. "Are you coming to laser-tag this week?"

"Hell yeah." He nodded "Now shut up." She frowned and dug her nails into his shoulder

"You shut up."


	23. Spiderman Tower

"What are you wearing for laser-tag?" Quinn called as she rifled through her drawers on Saturday morning

"This" the girl stepped around the doorway and Quinn looked at Santana's outfit in the mirror. She was wearing shorts and a polo shirt with long socks and sneakers, and Quinn grinned

"I like it. Looking good. A little school gymn class, but it's cute" she giggled. She was still dressed in her pyjamas and turned to pout at the brunette, who raised an eyebrow

"What do you want, Fabray?" she smirked

"I was wondering if I could borrow your 'I heart NY' shirt? It would go with my red shorts and I'd look awesome cute" she winked and Santana rolled her eyes

"Fine, because you asked_ so_ nicely! I don't know why you like that stupid shirt so much though?"

"I just do." She shrugged as Santana rolled her eyes

"Well we'll go to mine on the way so you can change your shirt" Quinn grinned and jumped up to kiss the brunette.

-ooOoo-

They arrived at the laser-tag centre an hour later. Puck, Sam and Jess were grinning incessantly, while Rachel, Quinn and Santana stared around nervously. Brittany was playing an arcade game. They all filled out the necessary paperwork; Jess, Santana and Rachel filling out Brittany's details between them, and waited for the previous groups to finish their game.

"You suck!" came a loud, shrill voice behind Quinn. She frowned and turned round to see a small boy scoffing at Brittany

"I don't care, I'm having fun" the blonde defended uneasily

"I have the high score. You're stupid and you suck. Get away from my machine!" he shouted in her face and she stared at him, slightly alarmed. Santana and Jess frowned as they heard the commotion, turning to Quinn questioningly, who shrugged

"Okay, kid. You're not being very nice, and I'd just like to play, okay?" she smiled politely, turning back to the game, but the boy had other ideas. He shoved her away from the machine with a scowl

"Shut up, bitch!"

The boy's curse had alerted Puck, and he stepped forward defensively "Hey, asshole!"

"Noah!" Rachel scolded "He's a kid!" Puck grunted as Brittany squatted on her haunches to talk to the boy

"Okay, that's not a very nice word to say, and you shouldn't be mean to people or you might hurt their feelings" she spoke patiently but the boy rolled his eyes, turning to the game.

"Hey, midget!" Santana stepped forwards as Jess took Brittany by the elbow, pulling her away "You think you're tough coz you're mean to people?"

"Shut up" he smirked "Losers."

"Okay you know what? If you're such a tough guy you won't care if I try to beat your score?" she quirked an eyebrow

"Whatever. Like you could beat it anyway, you're a girl!" he folded his arms

"Oh, I could beat it." Santana folded her arms, staring down at the boy

"Santana, come on. He's just a kid." Quinn rolled her eyes but Santana held up a hand

"Fine. Well let's see then." She stepped up to the machine.

A few moments later, Puck and Sam were cheering and chanting as Santana bashed at the buttons on the machine. Jess and Brittany were laughing and clutching each other anxiously, while Rachel and Quinn stood rolling their eyes. The kid watched angrily as she played.

"Ha! There you go, _now _who's a loser?" she demanded, smirking at the kid victoriously, and Quinn dropped her head into her hands with embarrassment

"Santana, stop gloating, he's a child!" Rachel laughed as the boy kicked the machine and stormed off

"No, he's a douche!" Sam laughed "Let her gloat"

"Thanks, San" Brittany giggled

"No problem, B" she winked "I am the arcade master" she popped her collar cockily and Quinn rolled her eyes with a giggle

"You are ridiculous."

Santana was about to come up with a comeback, but a male staff member appeared and ushered them all into the game.

-ooOoo-

"Aha! Take that knobhead!" Jess screamed as she ducked back behind the corner. She grimaced guiltily and popped her head back round "I'm sorry. I keep forgetting you're only eleven."

The boy shrugged before unleashing a torrent of shots on the body running round the corner "You little ba-"

"SANTANA!" Rachel's voice came from behind the girl as they ran down the pathway, and Santana stopped herself before slumping away down the narrow pathway, breaking into a run as her chest-plate lit up once again.

-o-

Quinn was running through a labyrinth of partition walls and flashing lights as she ran headlong into another body, and the two girls screamed, immediately shooting at each other. "Brittany? Brittany it's Quinn!"

"Oh! Hey, sorry. God, this place is _terrifying_." She shook her head as they ducked behind a wall, shooting as a kid ran past, who slowed to a walk with a regretful groan

"I know. Noone told me it would be like the twilight zone! Have you seen the bottom floor? It's like, Alien vs Predator themed, which I didn't know until I ran into predator!" Quinn shook her head, and Brittany screamed as the light on her chest went out.

"Okay, time to split off, someone knows we're here!" Brittany whispered

"See ya!" they both sprinted off in opposite directions.

-o-

A few moments later a scream rang out and Jess frowned as she came across the two adults, cornering a small boy.

"Oh. Hi, Jess" Santana glanced at Puck uneasily and he looked guilty

She frowned, taking a deep breath and looking between the two innocent faces "Okay. We're not gonna say anything about this?" she raqised an eyebrow "To anyone?" she asked, and they nodded furiousl. She fired rapidly at the boy before leaning in, "Don't fuck with my lady!" she whispered threateningly before running away, and Puck and Santana turned back to the cowering boy, shooting him repeatedly.

"Now who's a loser?" Santana smirked as they walked away a few minutes later.

-o-

Santana ran around corners and ducked down below partition walls as she ran away from the group of kids, completely losing her bearings in her escape. She turned another corner and started to run down the ramp to the lower floor, losing her footing as she did so. She screamed as she tumbled to the floor, and the boys poked their heads around the wall as she lay unmoving

"Hey, lady?"

"...are you okay?"

"Do I look okay?" she demanded from the floor, and the boys exchanged wary glances before starting to inch down the ramp towards her

"Uh...do you need any help?"

"No I'm good!" she rolled onto her front and shot the boys one by one before rolling around the corner, laughing maniacally as she climbed to her feet, staggering into the lower maze of pathways. She ran around the quieter lower floor in peace, intrigued by this new floor that apparently no one had discovered.

-o-

On the floor above, Puck, Sam and Rachel crouched, the boys peeking around either side of the partition wall. They both sat back, shielded as four kids mercilessly fired in their direction "Dude, these kids are relentless!" Sam waved his arms in despair and achel sighed

"We're gonna lose, aren't we?"

"No." Puck insisted, grabbing their shoulders dramatically

"Sammy Boy, Jew Girl. It's time. You know what we have to do." He stared between then and Sam nodded, jaw tensed. Rachel frowned

"What? What are we doing? I don't get it"

"Don't worry." Sam shook his head, before the boys pounded their fists together. They took deep breaths and roared intimidatingly, and Rachel screamed as they scrambled to their feet. They ran from the partition, Sam shielding Rachel and dragging her along with him as the two boys fired a constant stream of shots at the kids as they disappeared back into the maze of pathways and walls.

-o-

Quinn chuckled to herself as she sat on the floor. She had climbed into one of the towers in the corner, only accessible from the bottom floor, and was hidden by three partition walls, oblivious to all other players. Her gun was pointed through a window in the wall, and she was waiting smugly for the kids on the other team to run past, shooting them swiftly before ducking down out of sight. Nearly every member of the team had run past at some point, groaning and spinning round trying to spot her as the lights on their chest-plates was extinguished.

She heard movement below her, indicating that someone else had discovered the bottom floor, and hooked her legs onto the platform she was sat on below swinging her body to hang from the ceiling of the bottom floor, gun pointed down the pathway

"Hey!" she shouted, alerting the person wandering down the corridor towards her. They let out a girly scream, immediately dropping their gun and cowering in a ball "Rachel?" she frowned, and the girl looked up

"Quinn? No it's not Berry! I'm offended!" she picked her gun up and scrambled to her feet once again, staring at the blonde as she walked towards her "What are you doing? You look like Spiderman"

"That's what I was going for" she grinned, still upside down, lowering her gun "Bad-ass squeal, by the way" she smirked, and Santana blushed. "Well I found this floor and no one knows its here, well until now, but this tower comes out on the second floor and I've just been picking off these kids as they run past" she shrugged with a smirk, swinging backwards and forwards slightly, and Santana grinned

"God. You are _so _smart." She leaned forwards and pecked the blonde, who giggled

"Not really. I'd agree with you, but I've been hanging upside down for too long and I'm getting a little faint" Santana laughed and Quinn pulled herself back up into the tower, shortly followed by the brunette.

She sat herself on the small platform, her legs swinging over the side "Wow, I like it up here. Cozy." she grinned, and Quinn nodded, shooting one of the boys over Santana's shoulder as she straddled the girl's lap

"I know. Throw in chocolate and a smoothie, and we'd be in heaven"

"You're pretty sexy when you're all up on me, shooting people over my shoulder and whatnot. Very badass" Santana grinned, leaning up to give the girl a long kiss. She closed her eyes as their lips connected, slipping her tongue into the blonde's mouth, before opening her eyes when the girl seemed distracted. She giggled when she saw the blonde subtly trying to aim and shoot over her shoulder, and pulled back "I'm sorry am I keeping you?" she giggled, and Quinn nodded, ducking back down to sit on the brunette's lap once again

"Yeah, kinda. I'm trying to go all Scarface, here."

She rolled her eyes dramatically, pausing before pulling Santana into a long, intense kiss, her free hand roaming the brunette's body, before she spread her hand across Santana's breastbone. She pushed her back against the low wall as she knelt up to shoot over the wall again, and Santana grinned as she watched the blonde above her. She sat back down, and Santana shook her head

"We're coming here again."

-ooOoo-

They all stood in the entrance of the laser-tag centre, panting and sweating as they watched the screen for their scores. They cheered as their team's name flashed up as the winners, ignoring the groans of the group of boys, before settling to read their individual scores. Rachel groaned, sat panting on the floor, when her name came up first, with the lowest score. Brittany pouted next as her name popped up, and Jess gave her girlfriend a patronizing hair ruffle while the blonde scowled at her. Sam tutted as his name appeared next, crossing to the vending machine as Puck shook his head in disappointed. Jess, Santana and Puck's names all popped up on the board next, and they grinned and shrugged at each other, content in their effective cheating, as Quinn's jaw dropped.

"No way!" she beamed, surprised

"Hell yeah, that's my girl!" Santana picked her up with a grin and whirled her round, her hazel eyes still fixated on the screen in shock

"I won? How did I…?" she frowned innocently, and Brittany shrugged

"Well, I saw you get a few good shots?" she suggested, and Rachel nodded

"And it depends on how much you get shot" Puck pointed out as they collected their belongings from the lockers, Santana and Quinn exchanging a sneaky grin

"It's coz you hid from everyone so you couldn't get shot!" Sam pointed out, sulking at the loss to his little sister

Santana smirked as they passed the arcade game. She turned to the chirpy blonde with a hopeful smile, wrapping an arm around her neck as the others swapped stories behind them. "So, please tell me the totally hot, badass version of you is staying over tonight?" she grinned

"Of course. I am on a victory high and I intend to celebrate" Quinn winked suggestively and Santana raised her eyebrows

"Oh, really? How are you going to do that?" she smirked

"You know. Like when soldiers get back from war." She grinned, linking thier infgers over her shoulder, and Santana nodded thoughtfully

"I see." She smirked, and pulled the girl towards her for a sweet kiss as they left the centre, leaving a group of young boys staring open-mouthed behind them.

-ooOoo-

"Is that picture new?" Santa asked, momentarily distracted as the blonde kissed down her neck, hands pushing at her t-shirt.

"What?" Quinn glanced over the brunette's shoulder at where Santana was looking "Oh, yeah" she resumed her kissing and Santana giggled as the blonde's lips worked their way over her hipbones, before her face fell into a frown once again

"It's of us." She stated, swallowing, and Quinn shrugged

"Well observed, sweetie" she pulled Santana's top over her head, and the brunette nodded

"You have a photo of us in your apartment." She lay back against the couch cushions. Quinn's fingers trailed over her ribcage as she nibbled at her collarbone, and Santana gave a small gasp "Like, not even in your bedroom. It's there for everyone to see. Okay."

"Yeah so? Do we have to talk about this _now_?" the blonde asked, slightly impatient as she sat back on her haunches, pulling her own top over her head before resuming her kisses "I'm trying to get my badass on" she winked, and Santana smiled

"It's just. I hadn't noticed it. That's all." Santana shrugged casually and Quinn sighed. She stopped the movement of her hands on the brunette's body and rolled her eyes as she sat back, her shoulders slumped

"What's wrong?"

"What? Nothing" Santana frowned innocently

"Yeah there is. You're freaking out over that picture"

"No! No I'm not. It was just…unexpected." She smiled and Quinn raised an eyebrow

"It's a nice picture of us. I have pictures everywhere of the people I care about, and I wanted one of us, too." She explained, sounding tired

"Yeah. It's a nice photo. Okay." Santana smiled and Quinn rolled off the sofa, pulling her top back on "What's wrong?" Santana squeaked

"I'm not quite in the mood anymore." The blonde leaned down and kissed her forehead with a gentle smile, before wandering through to the kitchen

"Oh. Okay." She nodded quietly, glancing back at the photo with an uneasy frown as she pulled her t-shirt back on.

-ooOoo-

She woke the next morning with a grin as she took in her surroundings. She was laid on the girl's outstretched arm, her legs tangled between hers, and wearing nothing but Quinn's San Fransisco Giants shirt. She turned to watch the blonde as she basked in the sunlight creeping around the curtains. Quinn's chest was rising and falling slowly, her hair splayed out on the pillow, a small smile playing on her lips. Santana jumped when the blonde twitched in her sleep, trying to stifle her giggles as Quinn grimaced, before her face fell back into the smile.

She propped herself up on an elbow and leaned over the blonde to look down on her. She inhaled the smell of limes with a smile, and bit her lip with a grin. She gently brushed away a strand of hair from Quinn's face before settling to study the girl's face. She took in the soft scattering of light freckles on the girl's nose, the delicate curve of her eyelashes and pronounced bow of her top lip. She resisted the urge to kiss the girl then and there, watching as the girl's lips parted and her tongue darted out to wet them

"Why are you staring at me?" Quinn whispered with a soft smile, her eyes still closed, and Santana giggled

"I'm sorry. I thought you were asleep" she whispered back, stroking her fingers from Quinn's forehead to her temple, down to her jaw, and the blonde grinned

"Creep" she finally opened her eyes and stared up at Santana, before the brunette leaned down for a gentle kiss

"Sunday. What's on the agenda?" Santana asked. Quinn frowned to herself as she rolled away from the brunette, shifting to press her back against Santana's chest, and the brunette wrapped an arm around her. _Okay I'm not saying that I don't love cuddles and everything, and I'm loving the idea of a lazy day with San and all...but yesterday she freaked out over a _picture._ A picture. That shit was ridiculous, but now she's asking what we're doing today? Talk about hot and cold, Santana, you're the master._

"I'm thinking pancakes. And a Disney marathon." Quinn gave a small smile and Santana grinned as she pressed her lips to the blonde's bare shoulder

"Make it Pixar and you are on."

_But I suppose it could be worse._


	24. Girlfriend Territory

**Thank you all for your LOVELY reviews, please keep them coming because I love hearing which bits you like and don't like, what you want to see more of and what you think might happen/what you want to happen. Even if it's just telling me what your favourite line was, I love all the reviews so thank you VERY much! You're all sweeties :D**

* * *

><p>"Hey, jew babe! Want a drink?" Puck grinned, standing as Rachel stepped into the bar<p>

"Oh God, yes please!" she slumped down in the space he had previously occupied, and he rolled his eyes as he turned to walk away

"Hey Rach, how's things?" Santana asked. It had been a week and a half since they had been to play laser-tag, and they'd all been so busy that they had barely seen each other since.

"Busy. So busy." She pouted and Jess rubbed her back sympathetically "Rehearsals are just taking up _all _of my time, it's ridiculous! I've literally spent this week at the theatre, on the subway or in bed"

"Yeah she has." Brittany mumbled, exchanging a disgruntled look with Jess

"So Puckit is still on then?" Santana smirked

"What?" Jess asked as they all turned to frown at her

"You know. Like Puck and Hobbit? Plus it sounds like fuck it" she giggled, and Rachel rolled her eyes

"Anyway. So when's opening night?" Quinn smiled, ignoring the brunette, but Sam interrupted before the smallest girl could reply

"How much are tickets, can we all come?" he grinned as Puck returned, delicately placing a drink in front of Rachel

"You know my drink order." She said it as a statement as she frowned at the glass, glancing up at Puck who nodded slowly with a raised eyebrow. She frowned again before taking a sip and turning back to Sam with a smile "Of course, you all can! I get five free tickets for opening night, but if you all chip in to buy the last ticket it won't cost much at all" she smiled, nodding her thanks to Puck.

"Awesome, I can't wait" Sam smiled again, and they nodded

"Yeah it's gonna be awesome!" Brittany grinned, before looking at Santana with a pout "Our little Rachy's all grown up!" she clutched at her heart and Santana pretended to wipe away a tear before grinning

"And we're so proud!" she smiled, and Jess and Quinn exchanged a glance

"More shots!" they both shouted, and everyone cheered.

-ooOoo-

The left the bar a few hours later, pausing outside to say their goodbyes. Brittany and Jess were wrapped around each other, giggling between long flirty kisses; Sam and Puck were joking around, one of Puck's strong arms slung around Rachel's shoulders, whilst Santana and Quinn followed behind, holding hands, giggling and chatting easily.

Sam and Puck were headed in the other direction, but as they were saying their goodbyes, Rachel leaned up on her tip toes to whisper to Puck, biting at his earlobe before returning to her normal height, and Santana and Quinn grimaced

"Ew, heteros." Santana turned away to face the blonde, who giggled

"Straight people are icky" she mimicked, and Santana nodded, dropping her head onto Quinn's shoulder.

"Sorry, Sam. You're on your own; I'm going with the ladies" Puck said casually, and Sam rolled his eyes

"You're a rat bastard. Fine, see you guys later then!" he waved a hand and started to head off in the other direction. The rest of the group turned to walk down the street in the opposite direction, but before they could take three steps, a dark girl with black hair appeared in front of them.

"What the fuck is this, Puck?" she demanded, glaring at the boy before staring Rachel up and down. Santana blanched, pulling Quinn back slightly as Brittany and Jess stopped their giggling to frown at the girl

"Oh. Hi" Puck shifted uneasily and the girl raised an eyebrow. She was stood in their path, her arms folded across her chest and her jaw tensed, and Puck cleared his throat

"So? What the fuck? Who's this bitch?" she spat, glaring at Rachel again, who brushed Puck's arm off and matched the girl's stance

"Excuse me?"

"What is this your girlfriend?" the question was directed at Puck, but her eyes never left Rachel's, and the boy shook his head, opening his mouth to reply but Rachel cut him off

"Why, who are you? Seeing as you're the one in _my _way, and you're the one ruining _my _night. So who's _this _bitch?" she pointed the girl up and down with a raised eyebrow, and Santana smirked proudly

"Firstly, I ain't no _bitch_. Secondly, I'm _Puck's_ bitch." The girl spelt it out and Jess snorted

"She's not a bitch, but she's _Puck's_ bitch. Okaaaayy..." she mumbled, and Brittany lowered her head to hide her giggles

"She's not my bitch" Puck defended, and the girl snorted

"Well, I was his bitch last week" she sassed, still glaring at Rachel, before turning to Puck and lowering her voice "you never called" she hissed, and Rachel rolled her eyes

"Well, he wasn't shouting _your_ name when_ I_ was his bitch last week." She shrugged, and Santana's jaw dropped in delight

"Ooh, need a dressing for your burn?" Quinn smirked, and Santana shook her head

"That is my _girl_! Fuck yeah, we taught the hobbit _well_!" she muttered with a grin

"Well, whatever _this _is," the girl indicated Puck and Rachel "He's cheating on you. Tough shit, short stop."

Brittany and Santana's jaws dropped and Quinn grabbed the back of Santana's t-shirt as she started to lunge at the girl, while Jess' grip on the tall blonde tightened.

"Oh, trust me. He's not" Rachel rolled her eyes, dragging Puck past the girl by his t-shirt, and the girls all followed them, Santana dropping to the back of the group, and leaning over to the dark girl with a glare

"Oh, and by the way? _He_ called _her_." She whispered in the girl's ear, turning to the group's retreating backs, where Quinn was waiting for her with a questioning frown "No one calls _my _girl short-stop." She muttered, taking the blonde's hand again.

-ooOoo-

Rachel stared down at Puck from the dresser she was currently sat on, having had him hoist her up there minutes ago. She could see her bra-clad chest rising and falling, and reached over to pluck her t-shirt off the floor, pulling it back on as she slid off the surface. Puck started looking around and reaching for his clothes as Rachel pulled on her underwear, sitting on the edge of the bed awkwardly, still watching him.

"We have to stop." She said simply, and he looked up at her

"Why?" he shrugged

"I dunno. It's less fun now. It's less friends-with-benefits and more nearly-being-knifed-on-a-street-corner" she considered, and he rolled his eyes

"She wouldn't have knifed you! She was just pissed coz I didn't call. Why, are you upset that I slept with her when I've been sleeping with you?" he frowned, and she laughed when she saw the fear in his eyes

"No of course not, I don't care." She said easily with a shrug "But, like, why am I arguing with girls you've slept with? That's girlfriend territory"

He nodded thoughtfully "I suppose. Still though, we've got a good thing going here" we waved a hand between them as he pulled his pants on and she nodded

"I know but..."

"What?"

"...you know my drink order."

"So?"

"I know that sounds stupid but like..._Santana _doesn't even know my drink order. I've known her for _years_. I think Brittany _might,_ but only because I live with her. It's just too..." she trailed off awkwardly and he nodded

"Familiar. Yeah I know what you mean, like the other day when you got mayonnaise with the fries and not ketchup." He nodded and she shrugged

"Exactly. Too familiar. So, shall we stop now, when we can stay friends?" she raised her eyebrows hopefully and he nodded

"Yeah. Put it there" he held out his fist and she pounded her own, much smaller one, against it with a grin "See you, bro"

"Why do I have to be a bro? The other girls aren't bros!" she protested as he reached the door, but he just shrugged as he left the room "I hate you!" she called after him, and he laughed as he left the apartment. She lay back on the bed with a content sigh, before rolling over and flicking the light off, slipping under the covers and relishing in the fact that for once they didn't smell like Puck.

-ooOoo-

"There is a homeless man living in the basement of my apartment building!" Quinn announced as she stepped through the door the next day. Santana dropped her magazine onto her lap and sat up from where she had been laying on the couch, staring at the blonde with an amused grin

"No fucking way."

"I'm serious. A water pipe burst in my bathroom, so I went the find the super; the old lady down the hall said he might be in the basement. So I went down to look for him, and I was chased out by a _homeless man_ with a Sister Sledge t-shirt and one shoe." Quinn grimaced as she removed her coat, flopping down onto the other end of the sofa

"He's not _homeless_!" Santana defended and Quinn frowned at the smirking girl "He lives in your basement! My hobo has one shoe, too" Santana remarked as she lay back, picking up her magazine again

"_Your_ hobo?" Quinn frowned, flicking on the TV, and Santana glanced up agitatedly

"Yeah" she shrugged "The subway guy. I think he's called Jerry coz he keeps calling me Tom and asking if I'll chase him." She turned back to her magazine and Quinn snorted

"Sounds awesome and not at _all _threatening. But yeah, so my apartment is once again an out-of-bounds area until the pipe is fixed." Quinn nodded glumly, eyes darting momentarily to the brunette, who didn't look up

"Your apartment sucks."

"I know right? Yeah, so I'll have to stay somewhere else for a few days." She said casually, but Santana's attention never left the magazine

"That sucks. Well you can stay here Thursday if you want?"

"Wasn't I supposed to anyway?" she frowned

"Exactly. So you still can" Santana smiled with a small shrug and Quinn nodded

"Yeah, I can go back to my apartment Friday, so only two more nights. Guess I'll go to Sam's" she flicked through the channels as she spoke, her eyes flitting to the brunette's face

"I see. Well it's only a few days" Santana said sympathetically, glancing at the blonde

"Or…maybe I could stay here?" she gulped. Santana tried to hide the look of alarm and worry, but wasn't entirely sure she had been successful

"Um, you know I really would offer. But I'm at school really early the next few days, because we have an inspection coming up and stuff, and I'm going to be home late and out early. And I'm going to be really busy with all the paperwork and stuff…" she trailed off and Quinn shrugged casually

"Okay, no worries. Yeah don't worry about it" she plastered on a fake grin, and leaned down to peck the brunette "It's cool. So, you wanna get pizza?"

-ooOoo-

They ate quietly, watching the final of America's Next Top Model, groaning and rolling their eyes when their favourite didn't win. When they finished Quinn took the pizza box out to the trash, returning to find Santana kneeling on the sofa. She wandered over to the brunette and cupped her face with both hands, leaning in to give her a chaste kiss

"Okay, I should probably go, I still need to get home and call Sam then pack up some stuff to stay at his before I go to bed. My apartment becomes inhabitable as of tomorrow." She sighed and kissed Santana again, but this time the girl grabbed Quinn by wrist pulling her back onto the couch with her

"I have a better idea?" she smirked, pulling the blonde into a long, passionate kiss before she pulled away

"No, I really have to go" Quinn smiled, but Santana's kisses travelled down her neck and over her exposed collarbone "Santana..."

"Come on," she shifted, rolling over to straddle the blonde "I promise I'll be quick" she whispered in her head, but Quinn shook her head

"No, I have to go. I have to sort all of my stuff so I can stay at Sam's, I told you!" she sighed impatiently, shifting herself out from under the brunette, who frowned

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm just not in the mood and I need to go" Quinn shrugged with a small smile

"Well why can't you just stay a while longer, call Sam in the morning or something?" she said simply, shrugging with a raised eyebrow

"Because I don't want to! Okay? I don't really feel like having sex and then going to home to my broken apartment. I'm already going to have to get up early all week to try and get to work from Sam's because I can't stay here, so I just want to go home and get some sleep okay?" she stood up and grabbed her jacket, and Santana sighed, biting her lip as she watched the blonde leave.

Quinn swallowed a lump in her throat as she watched the floor numbers in the elevator decreasing. She watched the doors slide open, half expecting to see the brunette panting and waiting for her on the other side. Santana would say she was sorry, and give a reason and Quinn's heart would melt and she'd say she couldn't believe Santana had just ran down all of those stairs, and she would say she didn't care because she missed Quinn already and they'd go to her apartment and get her stuff and go back to Santana's and cuddle for the rest of the night.

She bit her lip, ignoring the hint of disappointment sinking into her stomach as she stepped out into the empty foyer. She groaned as she reached the door, rifling through her bag with a sigh. No umbrella. Of course. She took a deep breath and stepped out into the rain, walking quickly and arriving home within a few minutes. She locked the apartment door behind her and stripped off her soaking coat before heading along the hall to the bedroom.

The blonde stopped in the hallway, staring at the floor in front of her, before looking up at the broken water pipe with a shocked frown. The superintendant had blocked the pipe in the hallway earlier, and the plumber was due to arrive tomorrow morning to fix it, however the leak had dripped throughout the day, and whatever the super had used had clearly proved ineffective, as it was now soaking wet and the whole hallway was flooded. She gazed at the bedroom, now completely blocked by water, and turned swiftly on her heel in the direction of the couch. She dropped down face first with a sigh, before rolling over, covering her face with her hands as she burst into tears.

-ooOoo-

The next day she was stood behind the counter of the bakery, chatting politely with a woman ordering a box of cupcakes for her son and his wife's anniversary. She knew that her polite cheer was probably coming across as fake, but didn't have the heart or energy to be as jovial as usual. She had ended up re-blocking the leak with old tea towels tied round the pipe before mopping up the water and arriving at Sam's at 2am. Sugar had complained about her beauty sleep and a breach of privacy and had basically been completely bitchy, and Quinn had had the worst night's sleep imaginable.

Quinn managed to crack a smile as the woman left with a wave, waiting until the woman was out of view before dropping her head onto her forearms with a frustrated groan. She raised her head again with a grin as she heard the door open, but her face fell again when she saw who it was. "Hi" she nodded "Is it someone's birthday?" she asked, straight-faced.

"No. I don't know.

"What do you want, San?" Quinn looked down at the surface of the counter, and the brunette bit her lip

"I came to see you" she cleared her throat quietly, but Quinn turned away

"Well, sorry, but you're not exactly top of my list for people I want to see today" she grabbed a cloth and started busying herself, cleaning and tidying the already spotless bakery.

"I know. I took the day off work?" she shuffled a little closer towards the counter, and Quinn stopped her incessant cleaning

"Why?"

"I went to get this" she held up the bag in her hands and Quinn shrugged "It's your stuff."

"Thanks but its fine. It's kind of late now; my apartment is already horrifically flooded so I had to stay at Sam's last night too. My stuff is already there" she smiled politely and Santana let out a small sigh of frustration

"No. It isn't. I went to your apartment to get your stuff, and the lumber guy was there, and I went into your bedroom and noticed that the bed was still made from me making it the other day. So you hadn't stayed there last night. So I called Sam and went to his apartment, and got your stuff-"

"Why? Why do you care, Santana?" she cut her off with a shrug "You've made it clear that me staying with you would just be a burden, so I don't want your pity." She laughed humourlessly, shaking her head, and Santana frowned, feeling tears sting at the back of her eyes

"Because I want you to stay. I want to help you out." She shrugged "Because I care about you"

Quinn swallowed, not meeting the brunette's eyes "Honestly, San. I really appreciate that. But I needed you to care about me last night when my apartment was flooded, I had to wade through water to get my stuff from my room, couldn't hail a cab for love nor fucking money, and I had nowhere to stay so had to deal with Sam's bitch-faced girlfriend at 2am. _That's _when I needed you to care."

"I know. I'm an asshole, I just freaked out. I'm sorry"

"You freaked out? Well then you're a hypocrite..._and_ an asshole." Quinn stormed out the back into the kitchen, and Santana grimaced uneasily before ducking under the counter and following her

"Yes. I am. It was a stupid thing to do, but now I understand how you felt about the key thing. So I am an asshole, and a hypocritical one at that." She bit back tears "But I'm a hypocritical asshole who's really sorry. And who cares about you and wants you to stay this week so you can get to work easily on a morning."

"You're not supposed to be back here." Quinn replied, and Santana clenched her lips together with a nod

"Okay. Then I'll just...leave your stuff. I'm sorry" she turned and left the room, placing the bag on the counter before leaving the bakery. Quinn sighed, wiping a tear away as she re-entered the shop floor. She grabbed the bag and was about to throw it on the floor when she saw the note stapled to the side

**Cupcake Girl,  
>I thought you might want YOUR stuff<br>I'm sorry, and promise to make dinner  
>every night this week.<strong>

Love from a very sorry asshole xxxxxxx

She gulped, frowning before opening the bag, emptying its contents onto the back counter. Her mouth fell open as she saw the clothes fall from the bag. Some of it, like the underwear and a few tops and skirts, really was her stuff from Sam's. But there was also Santana's 'I heart NY' t-shirt that Quinn loved, Quinn's favourite sweatpants that she'd accidentally left in her apartment, and a brand new pair of Wonder Woman pants. She giggled at the selection of clothes, before bundling them back into the bag and pulling out her phone.

"Quinn." Came the girl's soft voice, and she frowned at her tone; it was clear Santana had been crying, and the sniff at the end of the line proved her suspicions

"I accept your apology" Quinn said seriously, and Santana grinned gratefully

"Thank you"

"On one condition..." she warned, and Santana took a worried breath

"What is it?"

"I'm starving. Bring me a pizza and come keep me company."

-ooOoo-

They spent the day swapping stories and giggling, in-between awkward silences and serving customers, and walked hand-in-hand back to Santana's apartment. The blonde was still silent, and Santana unlocked the door before pausing, her hand on the doorknob.

"I'm sorry" she said remorsefully and Quinn nodded

"I know" she replied with a small smile, leaning in for a gentle kiss before Santana opened the door.

"Hey, why don't you go put your stuff in the bedroom, I'll find something on TV?" she suggested, and Quinn nodded as she took her jacket off. Santana crept down the hallway afterwards to see the blonde's reaction.

She swung the door open and grinned when she saw the room. There were fairy-lights hung from the ceiling, and the headboard was completely covered by post-it notes. She crossed to the bed, folding one leg under her as she sat down to read them, and Santana followed, sitting behind her with a small smile as she read them allowed

"'I'm sorry'...'I suck'...'I wish Cupcake Girl was in my bed'..." she raised an eyebrow and Santana shrugged

"Only because I missed you"

"I see...'Quinn is really pretty, even when she's mad...it sucks'" she giggled, leaning back into the brunette "'if Blondie were here right now, she would cuddle me better...even if I don't deserve cuddles right now'...'When she's mad, Quinn gets a little wrinkle between her eyebrows and somehow still looks cute'…Okay you win. You're cute and sweet, and I accept your apology" she smiled and Santana wrapped her hands around her waist, settling her chin into the crook of the blonde's neck

"I don't need any of that. I don't need to win, or be cute and sweet" she kissed Quinn's temple, and the other girl smiled, finally sighing and releasing the tension she had held all day "Actually I lie, I _did_ need you to accept the apology" they giggled "And I kind of need to be cute, coz you're really pretty. And I have nothing else going for me." She laughed, and Quinn shook her head

"I disagree. You _are_ cute and sweet, but you're also wicked hot, and seem to have a penchant for gift buying" she held up the Wonder Woman underwear with a smirk, and Santana grinned

"Wonder Woman for my Wonder Woman" she shrugged and Quinn rolled her eyes with a laugh

"You big cheese. Now make me dinner."


	25. Ben and Jerry's

They were all waiting in the foyer, full of nervous anticipation, for the girl to appear through the backstage door. Muttering and talking excitedly, they were only a few of the large crowd of well-wishers waiting for the cast. They were beginning to grow impatient, before cheering as Rachel appeared with a grin.

"Hey, guys! What did you think?"

"You were awesome, Rachy!" Brittany grinned, pulling her into a hug and Jess clapped her on the back

"Definitely, I loved it"

"Santana cried." Quinn nodded as she pulled the smaller girl into a hug

"No way! You cried?" Rachel gasped and she scowled

"No I didn't." she gave the girl a small one-armed hug as she shook her head

"Yeah you did" Sam nodded with a smirk "We all saw you"

"It was fucking heart-breaking." She defended, blushing furiously and swallowing back tears again "She loves him, and then she dies, and I _love that song_." She squeezed Quinn's hand as she dropped her head onto the blonde's shoulder, and Quinn stroked her hair comfortingly with a giggle.

"Yeah. You were totally badass at that barricade and whatever" Puck nodded, giving the small girl a hug once Sam had placed the girl back on her feet after spining her round in the air in a tight hug.

They stayed at the theatre bar for drinks, all chatting a little awkwardly as the cast celebrated and Rachel schmoozed with the director and producer, before leaving for more drinks at the bar. As they walked down the streets, Santana, Brittany and Rachel walked together, and the two girls wrapped an arm each around the shorter girl between them

"That was amazing, Rach, we're so proud of you" Brittany grinned and Rachel hung her head to hide her blush, grinning as she wrapped her arms around the girl's waists

"Yes, very. You totally stole the show." Santana pulled her a little closer with a small smile, squeezing the girl, and Rachel grinned up at them

"Thanks, guys. You know I couldn't have done it without you and all your support" she bit her lip as tears sprang in her eyes, and Brittany shook her head furiously

"No, no tears! You'll set me off and I'll ruin my make-up!" she laughed, wiping her eyes, and Santana growled

"Ugh! You suck, hobbit. Fuck you" she scowled as she swallowed the lump in her throat, pulling Rachel in once again as she cried, before sniffling loudly and taking a deep breath

"Okay, come on guys. No more tears, let's go drink and celebrate!" Brittany grinned as she wiped her tears, and Santana dug in her bag for a tissue.

-ooOoo-

They all arrived at the crowded bar some time later, and Puck waded through the sea of people to the bar to order a round of drinks, while the group searched around for an empty booth, but of course there were none. They found an empty high table near the end of the bar and Santana scowled as Puck returned with the drinks

"What's wrong?" Quinn raised an eyebrow, and the brunette glared around

"I want a booth"

"Well, maybe it'll get less busy later?" she shrugged but Santana still frowned

"Maybe." She replied, clearly unconvinced, and Quinn giggled

"Although with that death stare I'm pretty sure it won't take long before you intimidate someone into leaving" she laughed, but Santana just nodded distractedly. The blonde sighed and turned back to the group with a small smile.

"Sammy Boy!" Puck swung an arm around the blonde boy's shoulder with a satisfied smirk "Tonight. You are my wingman."

"No." Sam shook his head,

"Yes! I am getting_ laid _tonight!" he grinned and Sam grimaced

"No."

"And you are going to help!" he announced, scoping out the room

"_Hell_ no." He wrestled Puck's arm off of his shoulders, shaking his head

"Hold on, I thought there was..." Jess frowned, pointing from Puck to Rachel "...something...?"

"Don't encourage them!" Brittany hissed, and Rachel laughed

"No, we decided to call it off while we could stay friends" she nodded, and Sam clapped Puck on the back sympathetically

"Dude. I'm sorry for your loss" he said seriously, and Puck hung his head

"I know." Quinn laughed, glancing and the brunette, but Santana was still gazing around the bar, uninterested in the conversation.

"Hey, San? You okay?" Rachel frowned and she quirked an eyebrow, not looking at the shorter girl

"Yeah, why?"

"No, nothing, just...you seem distracted" Rachel shrugged

"Just looking for a booth" she smiled, finally looking down at the other girl, who nodded and turned back to the conversation. Quinn frowned to herself.

-ooOoo-

A couple of hours later and they were all on the dance-floor. Santana had loosened up throughout the night, and after copious amounts of alcohol, but was still occasionally glaring around the bar at groups of people who looked like they were ready to leave.

"Hey, baby!" Quinn called over the music. She was hand in hand and dancing with Jess, who was currently wrapped around the taller blonde, while Santana was dancing with Rachel and Sam, and Puck was grinding on a random girl a few feet away

"What's up?" she shouted back with a frown, and Quinn leaned up to shout in her ear

"Will you get me another drink when you next go? I don't want to battle through the people!" she pouted with puppy-dog eyes and Santana rolled her eyes with a grin

"Fine! Will do!" she grinned, pecking the blonde again before they both returned to their dancing. She drained her drink a few minutes later and made for the bar.

She scowled as she pushed and shoved through the crowd, apologizing at first before deciding that she really wasn't that sorry, and started using her elbows to force her way through. She received a few disgruntled looks and protests, but after cutting people down with her death glare, she finally made it to the front, and waited patiently for the barman to notice her. A few moments later she was growing impatient, and pulled the v-neck of her top down slightly with an eye-roll, as a body appeared beside her. She turned, assuming it was one of the girls by their close proximity, but was surprised to find a small girl with dark red hair smiling at her."Hi."

"Hey" Santana frowned, slightly uncomfortable

"I need to ask a question," the girl shouted over the music and she raised an eyebrow "were you staring at me because you think I'm cute, or because you want me dead?" she laughed, and Santana smiled

"I definitely don't want you dead. Actually I was scoping for a booth" she shrugged with a small smile, and the girl nodded

"I see. So, what if I said_ I_ think _you're_ cute?" the girl asked, resting her forearms on the bar, and Santana's eyebrows raised slightly in shock, and she smiled. Quinn watched, biting her lip with a small frown as Santana replied

"Thank you very much. You're not too bad yourself" she returned the compliment with a nod, but the girl raised an eyebrow

"Hey, I said _if_" she replied, holding up her hands defensively and Santana rolled her eyes

"Very clever, you got me" she shook her head as she finally got the barman's attention. The girl listened as she ordered her drinks, turning to her again

"So, is that your girlfriend? Is it her drink you're buying?" she asked warily, but Santana shook her head

"Um, no. I mean, it's her drink I'm buying, but she's not really…my girlfriend" she shrugged, shaking her head and the girl grinned again

"Okay, so if you're buying hers, could I buy yours?"

-ooOoo-

"Hey, who was that?" Quinn frowned, intrigued, as she took her drink from Santana with a grateful nod

"I dunno just some chick" Santana shrugged, and the blonde's frown deepened slightly

"Oh. Okay. She looked…interested?" she gave an awkward smile but the brunette shrugged again

"Yeah she asked if she could buy me a drink and get my number" they resumed their dancing and Quinn nodded

"Oh. I see." She waited for the other girl to continue, but Santana was silent "So?"

"So what?" Santana was growing impatient with the questions, and Quinn sighed

"Oh, come on!" she grabbed Santana by the hand and led her out to the quiet smoker's area at the back of the bar "So did you give her your number and let her buy your drink?"

"Yes, she bought my drink. Why does it matter?" Santana shrugged defensively and Quinn swallowed

"Okay, so did she get your number?" she asked. She realised she probably sounded like a crazy person, but couldn't help the feeling of dread spreading through her chest as she stared warily at the brunette in front of her, who was looking around, not meeting her eye

"Why?" she demanded with a frown and Quinn shook her head, speaking casually

"I dunno. Just wondering"

"Well yeah, she did. But I mean, it's not like we're exclusive or anything, are we?" she shrugged and Quinn shook her head, hiding her shock with a fake easiness she didn't really feel

"No, I just…I mean, I didn't realise we were, uh, doing…_that_" she trailed off, and stood staring at her feet

"Doing what?" the brunette sighed impatiently and rolled her eyes, and Quinn swallowed again

"No, I mean. It's cool I just hadn't been seeing anyone else that's all" she shrugged, and Santana raised an eyebrow

"Do you have anyone else to see?"_ Owch. That stung._ Santana had spoke like it was a joke, but it was still a pretty low blow.

"Not really" she gave a small, fake, laugh "But I didn't realise _you _did. Well, cool" she grinned "I hope she calls." she had never wanted anyone to call someone less. Ever "I'm freezing, I'm going back inside" she nodded and re-entered the bar.

Jess frowned as she silently watched the exchange through the open back door, and Brittany raised an eyebrow when she realised they had lost the girl's attention "Hey, something wrong?" she nudged Jess, but the girl just smiled

"No. Sorry, I was away with the fairies then" she grinned, her eyes hesitating on the shorter blonde for a moment, before turning to Brittany reaching her arms up around the blonde's neck. She twisted her fingers into her hair and pulled her down into a long, slow kiss, and Brittany giggled when they pulled away, her arms snaking round the smaller girl's hips

"What was that for?" she said shyly, and Jess shook her head with a smile, her face still inches from the girl's

"Nothing. Just for being…you. And being perfect, and awesome. And I'm celebrating my own boody good luck." She grinned, and the blonde blushed

"You're more awesome. And English. I'm the luckiest, I love you" Brittany replied, and Jess took a deep breath, inhaling the smell of the blonde and holding it in. Today she smelt like fresh linen and coconuts and sandalwood, mixed with the alcohol on her breath, and she smiled at the intoxicating effect the blonde had on her

"I love you too." She breathed, and Brittany smiled, closing her eyes and placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

Quinn swallowed.

-ooOoo-

"So, do you wanna stay at mine?" Santana smiled as they all walked towards their neighbourhood.

"Um, I think I'm gonna just head home" she shrugged apologetically "I'm kind of tired, sorry"

Santana's face fell, before quickly pouting jokily, placing an arm around her shoulders "Okay, if you're gonna be boring" she giggled, and Quinn rolled her eyes with a smile, taking the brunette's hand in her own and lifting her arm off her shoulders, their hands swinging between them instead. Jess nudged her as Santana's attention was taken by Rachel, and Quinn turned with a polite smile

"Hiya. You alright?" she frowned, and the blonde raised her eyes innocently

"Yeah, sure. Why?"

"You seem a little off" the shorter girl shrugged, and Quinn quirked and eyebrow, her face straight

"Yeah a little. I'll be fine" she averted her eyes to look at the ground, and Jess nodded

"Okay, well you know where I am, newbie-buddy" she winked comically and Quinn grinned

"I do. Even though you're a complete dork" she laughed, and Jess pulled a mock-offended face as Brittany jumped in

"Shut your pie hole, Fabray, or I'll take you down" she hissed menacingly, and the shorter blonde giggled

"Yeah, Fabray. My girlfriend will _kick_ your_ ass_" Jess clicked her fingers in front of Quinn's face with a sassy head nod, speaking in a fake American accent, and Brittany flexed her muscles with a growl

"Well I'd better watch my back" Quinn rolled her eyes "Wouldn't want to be assaulted by Stretch and Elizabeth Hurley over here"

"I don't talk like her!" Jess frowned before dropping her voice "But I refuse to rise to the bait, because we finally got you laughing" she smiled warmly and Quinn nodded her thanks as the girls split off to their apartment.

Santana and Quinn reached the corner a few minutes later, and the blonde smiled as the brunette turned to her "Okay, cutie. Get some sleep" she grinned and Quinn smiled, snaking her arms around Santana's neck. She pulled the brunette into a tight hug, breathing in the familiar smell as she pressed her lips together, closing her eyes tight before pulling away

"I will. See you later"

"Tomorrow probably. We have a birthday coming up" Santana grinned, pulling the blonde closer again and resting her forehead against hers

"I see. Well I await your order with eager anticipation" she giggled and Santana grinned

"Okay. See you" she said in a low voice, before leaning in to kiss the blonde. Quinn relished the taste of Santana's kisses, fruity from her drinks, and she closed her eyes as the girl's tongue slipped into her mouth, curling her fingers into Santana's thick hair and pulling her close.

They pulled away and said their goodbyes a few moments later, and Quinn frowned, biting back the lump in her throat as she walked down her street, away from the brunette she had thought was hers.

-ooOoo-

Sure enough, Santana appeared, as promised, the next morning with a grin. "Hey gorgeous. Did you get your sleep?" she was about to lean over the counter to kiss the blonde, but Quinn jerked her head and she noticed a couple sat at the table beside them, and pulled back with a tight smile

"Yup, slept like a baby. So, tell me about this cupcake?" she smiled, grabbing her notebook as Santana began to rattle off details

"…and as usual, music notes please" she grinned "And what are you doing tonight?"

"Um…I have some laundry to do but it could wait an extra day." She reasoned with a small frown "Why?"

"Well…" Santana took a deep breath "I was kind of a douche last night" she said regretfully, and Quinn shook her head, opening her mouth to explain that it was fine and she understood, and to say lots of other things she didn't mean, but Santana put a finger to her lips

"I didn't mean to be. But I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. So I was thinking we could go to the movies tonight? And I'll buy you nachos to make up for it" Santana rested her forearms on the counter with a questioning smile and Quinn grinned as she played with the brunette's fingers as she spoke

"Okay, that sounds cool." She grinned "Do you wanna text Rachel or shall I tell Jess?" she raised her eyebrows, but the brunette shook her head

"No, I was thinking just…you and me?"

"Like a date?" _Shit. Bigmouth. _ She hadn't meant to say that, but it had slipped out. She blushed, averting her eyes when she took in Santana's slightly alarmed expression, attempting to ignore the slightly awkward pause

Santana swallowed "Yeah, it _could_ be like a date" she shrugged before the grin was back again and Quinn nodded

"Sounds cool, I look forward to it. You wanna swing by mine when you're back from work and we'll go?"

"Sounds awesome." She glanced at the couple before leaning down swiftly to kiss the blonde's fingers as they trailed over her own, grinning cheekily as she took a step back to leave "See you then, Cupcake Girl" she winked as she left the bakery, and Quinn grinned.

_Official Date: Number Two._

-ooOoo-

They arrived at the cinema that night, Santana still in her good mood from that morning, swinging their hands between them and making Quinn laugh. "None of your Hungarian bullshit this time, Fabray!"

"Oh God, don't remind me!" She giggled "Something English, please!"

"Foreign is not an option" she mimicked in a stupid voice, and Quinn giggled at the mis-quote. She stepped behind the blonde, resting her chin on Quinn's shoulder as they read the board and times, wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist

"So what do you think?" Quinn turned to look at her, but Santana looked clueless

"I don't know, it's your choice."

"I hate choosing" the blonde pouted but Santana smirked

"Tough, I'm being polite. You have to choose" she giggled and Quinn looked back to the board, her face twisting with thought and indecision

"Can't you choose?" she whinged, and the brunette dug her chin into her shoulder until she squirmed away "Fine! Fine I'll choose! Can we join the queue so I have more time?" she grinned and Santana rolled her eyes as she obliged.

They reached the front and the guy behind the counter turned to them with a polite smile "Can I help you?" he asked and Santana nodded

"Hi, yes. I would like two tickets…to see…" she turned to Quinn, who was still staring at the board, biting her lip with a frown and puffing air into her cheeks before breathing it out in a long stream "Quinn?" the guy behind the counter frowned and Santana smiled apologetically

"Um…yes…two tickets for, um…that…no, _that _one. That one." She nodded and the man started typing at his computer screen, assigning their seats with a bemused expression. They headed through the foyer, but Santana tugged on Quinn's arm as she came to a halt

"Ben and Jerry's counter!" she grinned excitedly and Quinn nodded, wide eyed

"Oh, hell yeah!" she followed the brunette to the glass counter, and Santana read through the flavours as Quinn ordered.

"I don't know which one I want" Santana frowned, and the girl behind the counter replied

"Well, you can get free tasters of any flavour?" she grinned and Santana looked impressed, before narrowing her eyes

"Could I get free samples all of one flavour and put them in a pot?" she raised an eyebrow and the girl behind the counter giggled

"Well, _I _would let you, but my manager probably wouldn't like it" she laughed, and Santana shrugged as Quinn's jaw tensed

"Well I won't tell if you don't" she winked, and the girl shook her head

"I can't. But you can have as many free tasters of any one you want" she grinned and Santana sighed

"That will have to do" she complained jokingly, and the blonde bit her lip nervously as Santana tried various tasters, before finally choosing a flavour. The girl grinned and leaned into the counter, taking a large scoop of the chosen flavour, and placing it in the pot, before taking another scoop and piling it on top. She handed it across to Santana with a smile before typing the order into the computer. Santana paid and took the change before turning to walk towards the entrance to the screens, staring at the change in her hand "Hey! She only charged me for one scoop!" she grinned, and Quinn rolled her eyes

"Yup."

"Awesome, still got it" she sing-songed and Quinn stopped walking with a humourless laugh "What's wrong?" Santana frowned, stopping to look back at the blonde

"Are you shitting me right now?" she raised her eyebrows in disbelief and Santana's jaw dropped open slightly

"What? What's up?"

"Look I'm sorry, but what the fuck?" Santana recoiled a little at Quinn's curse, her eyes darting around at the people near them as she took a step towards the blonde "You're apparently here taking me on this date, paying for everything and whatever to apologize for last night…and yet you're flirting with some girl for free ice-cream?"

"I was _not_ flirting!" Santana reasoned, rolling her eyes, and Quinn shook her head

"No, that was flirting. Just like last night at the bar when you were flirting and gave some girl your number." She said evenly and Santana sighed

"Well so? We're not exclusive or anything-"

"Yes I know. You made that perfectly clear last night, thank you. But there's a difference between not being exclusive and giving a girl your number, and flirting with another girl _in front_ of your date." She turned on her heel and started to leave the movie theatre, dropping her ice cream in a trash can as she did so

"Where are you going?" Santana called as she followed her out onto the street with an impatient sigh "And I think you'll find, _you _said this was a date, not me!" she held her hands out in a defensive shrug and Quinn whirled around to face her

"Yeah I did. Because you asked me to the movies, just us. That _is _a date. Especially when you're doing it to apologize for being an asshole! Whether you want it to be or not, _this was_ a date" she shouted and Santana scowled

"Well what do you want from me? It's not like we're a couple so why do you care?" she demanded and Quinn shook her head with a sad smile

"I just want to know what the fuck we're doing? Once minute you're sweet and cute and giving me your shirt and we're swapping stories and cuddling and" she lowered her voice to a hiss "having lots of sex! Then the next minute you're complaining about photos of us in my apartment and getting some girl's number and flirting with someone on what was basically a date, no matter what you want to call it!"

"Because on that photo we look totally like a couple when we're not!"

"I know we're not but we sure as hell fight like one!" she shouted as she carried on walking down the street

"Well, is that what this is about? You want to be a couple and you're pissed coz we're not?" Santana shrugged, folding her arms, and Quinn stopped, waving her hands in the air passionately as she replied

"No, I just wish you'd stop with this stupid hot and cold thing! You're either all over me or you barely talk to me! Like, at laser-tag we had so much fun and you were cute and sweet and you beat that kid for Brittany and it was awesome. Then we get back to my apartment and you freak out because of a photo where we look a little bit like a couple? A_nd_ the apartment thing with me staying over because a fucking water pipe burst and you freaked the fuck out!" she stormed off down the street again and Santana chased after her

"Well_ you_ can't talk about freaking out! I gave you the key to my apartment and you practically moved to California, how's that for freaking out?"

"Because I thought you were asking me to move in, there's a big difference between an apartment and a _picture_!"

"Well, we're not a couple! So why does any of this even matter?" Santana demanded and Quinn stopped again with a big sigh, collecting herself to speak calmly to the brunette

"You're right. It doesn't" she nodded "So, I'm sorry to ruin this night, but, I think I'll just go home, sorry."

She turned and walked away before Santana could argue or chase after her, immediately getting lost in the crowd and ducking down the side streets to reach the nearest subway station.


	26. Work of Genius

**I've said it so many times, but I stand by it...don't worry guys. I've got your backs.**

**You all seem to be terrified, although I am loving the amount of reviews/love/feedback I'm getting.**

**But yes, never fear, for you are in safe hands.**

* * *

><p>"Hey, Jess?" she frowned. It was a cold Monday, a stark contrast from the sun yesterday, and she was currently struggling through an incredibly boring morning<p>

"Hiya. Is that Quinn?"

"Yeah, you're not busy are you?" she bit her lip as she hoisted herself up to sit on the counter behind her

"Not really, I'm walking to an audition. Something wrong?" she could hear the bustling of background noise as Jess wander the New York streets

"Not really, I just wondered if you wanted to get a drink, tonight or tomorrow maybe? Soon?" Quinn asked, and Jess raised an eyebrow at the unease in her voice

"Yeah that's fine. I'm assuming you mean alone, seeing as you went to the trouble of getting my number instead of using Santana and Brittany?" the girl asked with a smile

"Yeah, you got me" she laughed, embarrassed and Jess nodded

"Yep, sounds good to me. The bar, tonight? Say six-ish?"

"Perfect. Thankyou."

"It's fine, us newbies have to stick together" she laughed, and they hung up.

-ooOoo-

"Hey chick!" Jess grinned as she hung her coat on the back of the chair opposite, and Quinn smiled "You alright?"

"I'm not too bad" she shrugged as Jess ordered a drink and sat down

"Stop the lies. Start talking, kid" she smiled kindly and Quinn sighed.

"It's Santana."

"I guessed" Jess nodded confidently

"It's just that...I don't know. I just don't know what's going on" she slapped her palms down on the table with a sigh, staring accusingly at Jess, who recoiled slightly

"Okay..." she frowned

"Sorry. Okay, it's just like, one minute we'll be fine. Like after laser-tag, everything was awesome, and we were flirting and laughing and kissing and it was cool. Then we got home and we were on the couch, and suddenly she just went all weird"

"What kind of weird?"

"Like, she saw this picture of us two on the table and like, freaked out talking about how we look like a couple even though we're not" she shrugged with a clueless frown, and Jess curled her lip in confusion

"You're not?"

"Apparently! But she called me her girlfriend before, so why are we suddenly not a couple? I just do _not _understand what is going on in her head! When we were fighting about the key to her apartment she called me her girlfriend, but since then she's said we're not a couple?"

"Ah. Okay. That's...weird" Jess frowned and Quinn nodded

"So one minute we're a couple, next we're not? And then at the bar! Giving some random girl her number, I mean, I know we apparently weren't exclusive, but I didn't realise that meant trying to get it on with someone else in front of me?" she sighed and rested her chin on her hand, fingers tapping on her cheek thoughtfully, and Jess frowned sympathetically

"Well...are you thinking of calling the whole thing off or something?" she leaned in, her voice lowered

"I don't know" she shook her head helplessly. Jess reached out, rubbing soothing circles on the blonde's arm, who bit her lip as she stared at the tabletop "She likes me. And I like her. And I know that."

"Hell, we _all_ know that." Jess laughed and Quinn shrugged

"_Exactly!_ So I don't get why we keep arguing. Well, actually _I_ start the arguments, but I don't get why she keeps being a douche!" she held her hands out questioningly, but Jess simply shook her head "I don't want to have to walk away. Because we have _so _much fun. Like on the days when we just watch stupid films and eat Heroes and cook for each other, or when she comes to see me at the bakery after work just because she _can_. And it's awesome."

"But then she freaks out..."

"Yeah. And she never tells me why. She apologises and does sweet things and I forgive her, but she never gives me a _reason_ for what she's done. I don't get it. And last night was the worst!" She folded her arms and dropped her head down onto her forearms and Jess frowned

"Why, what happened?"

"We went to the movies. She pretty much asked me out, to apologize for the bar thing. So we go to the movies, everything's fine and we're laughing and joking. And then she was flirting with the ice cream girl. And I don't mean gentle easy flirting I mean full-on flirt mode."

"That's not good"

"And I lost it and stormed out and she followed me and I said how douche it was to flirt with someone else on a date with me. And she said it was only a date coz I wanted it to be, but really, it _was _a date."

"Sounds like a date" Jess nodded, and Quinn held her hands up in thanks as Jess proved her point

"Exactly. But then she carried on, saying about how why are we arguing if we're not even a couple and everything. And I don't even understand how we're _not _a couple! We _were _a couple, but not now? I haven't spoken to her at all today. I just don't get why one minute she likes me, next she's making it as plain as possible that we're not a couple and I don't even _know_ whatever else is going on in her head." She shook her head and Jess took a deep breath

"I don't know either, but it's fucking confusing. I know how much you like each other, so maybe she's just really stressed at work or something? It might be _absolutely _nothing to do with you?" she suggested hopefully, and Quinn tilted her head with a small, thoughtful frown

"Hmm. Maybe. She did say she's busy at the moment but...I don't know, wasn't she busier before Christmas? With the concert? I suppose we've only been" she held up air quotes "...'together' for like three months. I don't know. She's _so _sweet, but then she just completely flips and she's an asshole! I don't even know if I can break up with her, seeing as we're not a couple?"

"Yeah. Well like you said, it's only been three months." Jess shrugged and Quinn nodded "And everyone freaks out at the start of stuff. And this _is_ Santana, she's _kind of_ temperamental" Jess reasoned warily, but Quinn quirked an eyebrow knowingly "So, maybe she's just not as good at hiding her insecurities and worries as other people are?" Jess shrugged and Quinn frowned, staring at the girl opposite

"You are so smart."

Jess laughed, rolling her eyes, looking back at Quinn thoughtfully "You're my friend. And I hate seeing you get upset over a girl. Especially when the girl is Santana, who is also my friend so I can't even hate on her for it." She sighed "So I'm not going to tell you to walk away, _or _to stick at it if you don't want to. But I know you like each other, so...maybe just wait it out a little longer?" she raised her eyebrows and Quinn bit her lip

"I think I probably will." She replied quietly, nodding at the table top before looking up "God knows why. Maybe she'll just...go back to normal" she shrugged "Thanks, Jess." She smiled and the girl opposite grinned

"It's fine. Don't you worry honey" she sing-songed, and Quinn laughed "_But_ I have my own lady to get back to, and she is an impatient one" she giggled and they stood up, pulling their jackets on and leaving the bar.

-ooOoo-

She opened the door, and frowned at the smell of cooking as she unbuttoned her coat. She paused in the hallway, listening for sounds of anyone in the apartment with a wary frown, "San?" she called out into the apartment, her voice echoing back at her. They didn't have any plans made for the night, and she raised a curious eyebrow

"Hey, Cupcake Girl! Come here!" Santana's cheery voice called back, and she dropped her bag on the sofa before crossing to the kitchen

"Oh, hey, what are you doing?" she grinned with a frown at the sight in her kitchen. Santana was stood in her kitchen in a spotty red dress, wearing one of her little aprons and wielding a wooden spatula. A large pan of rice and seafood sat on the stove, and Quinn gazed a round, fairly bemused.

"I decided," Santana stepped towards her, taking both of her hands in her own with a sweet smile "that I would cook for you." The smile dropped "Mostly to prove I can." She smiled again, leaning in to kiss Quinn gently on the nose before continuing "But also because you always cook for me. So I thought I'd return the favour." She grinned, and Quinn swallowed "And because I'm sorry. About the...Ben and Jerry's thing" Santana looked down with a blush, chewing her lip nervously, but Quinn nodded.

She took a deep breath and smiled, "Its okay" then plastered a grin on her face, whilst inside her organs felt like they were turning. The guilt was twisting in the pit of her stomach, spreading through to her chest within seconds as she thought of how, only half an hour ago, she had been discussing Santana's short-coming with Jess. _Well, that was bitchy._ _And now Santana is apologizing and making me dinner, and looking ridiculously cute in my kitchen, and my apron._ She bit her lip with a small frown, oppressing her shame as she leaned in to kiss the brunette with a small smile.

Santana had noticed the mix of emotions on the blonde's face, and frowned, pulling away before their lips could meet "What's wrong?" Quinn began to shrug but she shook her head "No, what's wrong? Talk to me. Is it about the movies?" She stared Quinn in the eyes, searching her face for an indication of the blonde's feelings, but Quinn smiled. She was impressed with Santana's willingness to talk about it, instead of avoiding the subject as soon as she possibly could, like usual. _Hmm, maybe that's progress._

"Nothing. You...are just _so_ sweet." She took a deep breath and grinned, bringing her hands up to Santana's neck to pull her into a long kiss "You're awesome" she whispered with a smile, resting her forehead on Santana's as she took a deep breath, feeling her heart thumping against her chest, and butterflies running rampant through her stomach at the girl's familiar scent.

"I know, right?" Santana teased and Quinn rolled her eyes, "Now get out of my kitchen! You're getting in the way!" she scolded and the blonde looked offended, pouting at the brunette

"_My_ kitchen. But okay, I'm going to go get changed." She pecked Santana again before leaving the room with a small smile. She flopped face-down onto the bed, her limbs outstretched, with a small groan. She closed her eyes, frowning in to the bedcover as she thought about the events of the last few days. She wasn't sure how long she had been laid thinking, until she felt Santana's body drop down next to her. The brunette lay propped on an elbow, her head resting on her hand as she watched Quinn. She turned her head to the side, to look up at Santana as her fingers ghosted up and down the blonde's back, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

She took a deep breath "Sweetie, what's wrong?" she sighed, frowning with concern. Quinn gave a small smile, shifting onto her side to gaze up at the brunette

"It's been a very long day. And now there is a very pretty girl making me dinner. And I'm just very, _very_ grateful" she grinned and Santana looked down at the bedcover, blushing with a small smile

"Well, I wanted to do something nice for a change" there was a hint of guilt in her voice, and Quinn frowned

"Don't say that. You're very sweet" she smiled, her face still laid against the bedcover, and she closed her eyes contentedly

"Thanks." Santana paused, watching the blonde's serene face, taking a deep breath "I don't think I can give you what you from me. I like you, and I like dating you...but I don't do the whole relationship thing." She shrugged slightly, blocking out her thoughts and trying to believe the lie "It's nothing to do with you. I just don' think I can give you what it is you're looking for."

She fell silent and Quinn sighed. She knew it was lies. Santana had mentioned ex-girlfriends numerous times. So it _was _her. She heard the brunette twisting her hands nervously, but Quinn couldn't think of a single reply. There was nothing to say that.

"I really like you. And I like dating you and I like having fun with you. But if you need more then..." her voice cracked slightly and she looked up at the ceiling, swallowing before she continued "Then I don't know what to do. I want you, but I can't give you more than this." She frowned, blinking away tears she refused to let the blonde see, but Quinn's eyes stayed tightly closed. She couldn't tell if the blonde was crying, or angry, or even awake.

She weighed up the options. Accept the lies she knew the girl was telling her. Keep having fun and enjoying the moments when Santana made dinner and they had fun. Walk away. Grow a backbone and walk away from the whole situation. Let go of Santana, scary as it may be, and find someone else who she laughed and had fun with. Leave Santana to her messed up world of relationships.

Quinn rolled over. Her eyes were dry, and Santana was thankful she had managed to hold in her emotions and not cry. She stared at the blonde, her jaw tense and heart hammering as she waited for a verdict. The blonde pulled herself into a sitting position, gazing at Santana before giving a small smile and taking a breath. She leaned over slowly, closing the small gap between them, placing a slow kiss on the brunette's lips.

Santana smiled when she pulled away, and cleared her throat quietly "Okay, I'm gonna, I mean, I'd better go, and go check dinner" she nodded awkwardly before standing from the bed and leaving the room in the direction of the kitchen, and Quinn gulped as she watched her go.

Sometimes letting go is just _too _scary.

-ooOoo-

"God, I love Valentine's Day!" Rachel beamed

"How? You're single" Brittany pointed out with a frown, and Jess giggled

"And it's not for like…three days" Santana pointed out

"Yes, Brittany, I am." she nodded seriously "But that does not mean that I can't enjoy the repercussions of this holiday of love, giving, and good cheer"

"Isn't that Christmas?" Jess reasoned, standing on tip toes to look down the long queue in front of them

"Yeah, jew. Stop stealing our holidays" Brittany grinned, and Rachel rolled her eyes

"Well I love Valentine's day, despite being single. I like seeing cute couples sharing their love with the world, and the cards and gifts and Valentine's Day plans" she grinned

"Berry, it doesn't count as 'plans' if it's you and your hand, just FYI" Santana chipped in as she caught the blonde's eye and waved. Quinn grinned back at her for a millisecond before getting back to work, getting increasingly flustered and frustrated

"Thanks, Santana, you're hilarious. Well, just because I'm the only single one in the group doesn't mean I'm going to mope about it" she rolled her eyes and Santana blanched at her use of the word 'single' with a scowl, before turning back to watch the blonde behind the counter with a shy grin, while Brittany and Jess had created their own little bubble, talking with their heads close together and giggling quietly.

Quinn looked up again with a frown, her eyes searching the crowd for the familiar face. She caught Santana's eye and beckoned her towards her, and Santana shrugged apologetically, gesturing to the queue. The blonde shook her head furiously and shouted her name as she began to serve the next customer, and Santana had no choice but to push through the crowd "I'm sorry. Excuse me. Don't worry, I'm not. Sorry, I'm not pushing! I'm sorry, excuse me. Thanks"

She reached the front of the queue, staring at Quinn like she was insane "What are you doing? What's wrong?" Quinn reached below the counter and threw an apron at her

"Jacket off. Put this on. Help me"

"What? I can't, I don't-"

"Sam can't come, and I'm _really_ busy."

"I see that"

"Shut up and put on the apron. You know the cakes well enough, you serve and I'll work the till. Just help me" she glared, and Santana stared wordlessly. She paused, considering saying no, before she pulled her jacket off and ducked behind the counter, turning to the woman at the front of the queue as she tied the apron around her waist

"Hello, how can I help you ma'am?" she smiled politely before reaching for the cupcake the woman requested, surveying the flavours in the case as she did so. They worked much quicker, and the crowds in the bakery soon began to dissipate, and Quinn grinned at her gratefully from the other end of the counter.

As they started to reach the end of the queue, and Rachel, Jess and Brittany were coming closer, when a tall man with an angry expression stepped up.

"Hey, cupcake girl!" he shouted, getting Quinn's attention, and the girl looked affronted before giving the man a tight smile as Santana blanched, raising an eyebrow. _That's my nickname, asshole._

"Hello, sir, how can I help you?" she said politely and the man rolled his eyes

"You can help me by taking this piece of shit" he slammed a half eaten cupcake down on the counter "and giving my money back!" he shouted in Quinn's face, and Santana's eyes darted to the three girls behind him, all of whom were looking stunned, stood with their mouths open

"I'm sorry, sir, is there a problem?" the politeness was gone, and her face was expressionless

"Yeah there's a fucking problem!" he splayed his hands on the counter, leaning in threateningly, and Santana's jaw tensed as she took a step closer to Quinn protectively "You sold me this lemon cupcake and it tastes like shit!"

Quinn took a deep breath, "Well I'm sorry, sir-" she started but the man cut her off

"I don't want your fucking apologies, I want my money back!"

"Hey!" Santana stepped in "Calm down, and please could you stop cursing" she said, and the man frowned, turning his attention to her

"Stay out of this, spic" he scoffed, and Rachel's jaw dropped, her eyes widening comically as Santana visibly recoiled

"Oh God" Jess muttered

"Oh no he didn't" Brittany winced and Rachel bit her lip

"Don't do it, Santana, stay calm"

Quinn held up a hand to stop the raging brunette, before speaking quietly "Excuse me, sir. But we don't give refunds for half eaten cupcakes, just because the customer doesn't like them. That is a matter of opinion, and I would like you to leave the premises now." She spoke calmly, never looking away from the man's piggy eyes, and when she was finished he rolled his eyes

"I'm no leaving, until I get my money back, blondie" _Again, my nickname._

"Okay that's it. Fuck this." Santana stepped in but the man was too quick

"What, defending your little girlfriend? Back off, dyke" he spat, and Jess and Brittany immediately surged forward

"Hey asshole?" Santana shot back "Yeah I am. And don't you dare call her that. And I'd rather be a 'spic' than a letch like you!" she shouted back at him

"Jesus, why are you dykes always so angry?" he provoked "Maybe if you got some dick you'd be less of a bitch" Rachel's mouth dropped in horror as Santana stared, speechless, and Quinn retreated into herself, looking down at her hands with a frown. The brunette leaned over to place a comforting hand on Quinn's shoulder, but she shrugged her away, wincing.

Brittany and Jess blanched, and the blonde shoved him away from the counter as Jess finally turned on him "What, and you'd be the one to do it, yeah?" the man raised an eyebrow and smirked at her, as Brittany looked on disgusted, shoving the man's arm warningly, but Jess spoke up once again

"Well sorry, mate, but you're clearly unequipped, seeing as you're obviously a cunt." She spat at him, holding her palm out to face Brittany. The blonde slapped it swiftly before stepping forwards

"Now fuck off" she shoved him towards the door, pulling herself up to her full height and proving her strength, and the man scoffed

"Fine, like I'd wanna hang around with you dykes anyway" he shot over his shoulder as he stormed out of the shop.

The girls stood in silence for a few moments.

"Well, happy fucking Valentine's Day" Brittany rolled her eyes

"Are you guys okay?" Rachel stepped forward looking concerned

"Yeah, he's just a fucking arsehole." Jess shook her head

"Come here, baby" Brittany muttered, looking shaken up, and Jess stepped towards the blonde, who pulled her into her arms. They stood comforting each other in their own little world as Rachel turned to Santana and Quinn.

The blonde was stood leaning against the back counter, staring down at the floor, and Santana was stood opposite her in silence, a deep frown etched onto her face. "Quinn, are you okay?" Rachel said in a calm voice, and she nodded slowly, before looking up to meet Santana's eyes. The brunette attempted a comforting smile, but her hurt frown couldn't be hidden, and Quinn stepped forward to pull her into a hug.

"Are you okay?" Santana whispered in Quinn's ear, and felt the girl gulp back tears before she replied

"Mmhm. I think so. Are you?" she muttered, stroking patterns on Santana's back as the brunette inhaled the comforting smell of limes and baking with a small smile. Jess was now stood with Brittany pressed against her back, and they were in light, stilted conversation with Rachel.

Santana shrugged "I guess. Just a little shaken"

"Yeah, me too" Quinn nodded as Santana pulled away, nodding

"Why don't you close up early?" she shrugged "We'll spend the rest of the night together, watch some stupid films, order tacos. Try to forget about that asshole"

Quinn nodded "Yeah, good idea. I'm gonna lock up, hold on"

The girls left the shop and waited on the sidewalk as the blonde turned off the lights and locked the doors. "Nice comeback, by the way, Jess" Santana nodded as they waited, and the girl gave a soft laugh

"Yeah, I have never been more proud of you" Brittany giggled and Rachel nodded

"Work of genius" Jess blushed at the praise, and they all felt a little better as they began to walk in their separate directions.

-ooOoo-

"Baby, are you okay?" she frowned as she turned to the blonde on the sofa beside her. They had just finished their food, and were on their second guilty pleasure film; You've Got Mail, "You've been really quiet since today"

"I know, I'm sorry. It's just shaken me, you know?" Quinn shrugged, shifting closer to Santana, who stretched out an arm, and the blonde snuggled in to her side

"Yeah I know, it's scary when stuff like this happens, isn't it?" she nodded understandingly and pressed her lips to the blonde's hair, and Quinn took a deep breath before answering

"Well, it's never really happened to me before" she shrugged again, nestling her face in Santana's neck and breathing in the familiar smell

"Never? This is the first time?" Santana frowned

"Well yeah. I mean, I didn't really tell anyone growing up, and even now most people don't know I'm gay. It's just something I kept to myself, so I never faced any of this" she shook her head with a frown and Santana's mouth dropped open with surprise

"Oh...I see." She nodded slowly

"I dunno, I never faced it before and sort of assumed I never would." She shrugged "I just sort of thought the world was a nicer place" Quinn said glumly, and Santana felt her neck growing damp from the girl's tears, and she pulled back to look Quinn in the eye

"Don't say that. Because the world _is _a nicer place, it was just that one guy was a total asshole!" she wiped the blonde's tears, leaning forwards to kiss her forehead "Please don't be upset. You're so beautiful when you're happy"

"But not when I'm upset? God, thanks, San" Quinn glared in mock offence, and Santana rolled her eyes. The blonde gave her a small smile and leaned forwards to kiss her, before ghosting kisses up her cheekbones to her temple "Thank you" she whispered against her skin, and Santana tucked her head under the blonde's chin with a smile.


	27. Heroes and Valentines

"Hey, Lopez!"

"Puck. What do you want?" she frowned into the phone as she got jostled from behind

"Wow, hi to you, too!" he snorted, and she laughed

"I'm just on the subway back from work, what's up?"

"What are you doing for Valentine's Day?" he asked, and she raised an eyebrow

"I'm gay."

"I know" he rolled his eyes "Jesus, don't flatter yourself. Well obviously Brittany and Jess are doing shit, but why don't the rest of us meet at the bar or something? Karaoke night?"

"Oh yeah it is. Cool, okay.2 she nodded "I'll be there and I'll ask Q later. Rachel and Sam?"

"Rachel is a yes but Sam is doing shit with Cruella."

"Oh. Obviously." She rolled her eyes "Cool well I'll let you know"

"Cool, see you!" she grinned at the prospect of having Valentine's Day plans and pulled out her phone to text Quinn

**V Day at bar with Puck n Rach? Maybe Sam? Xxxx**

**Sounds good. Won't Sam be with Bitchtits-whoreface-fuckpants? Xxxx**

**Probably but we can hope :P xxxxx**

She entered her apartment and threw herself onto the sofa with a wide yawn. She ran her tongue around her mouth and clicked her tongue as she stared at the ceiling with a frown. _Should I be asking if Quinn wanted to do something alone instead? Except any time we've tried recently she goes all crazy on me. I don't know why she keeps starting arguments over stupid stuff. Maybe she does want something more. But would she lie to me? This is not good. Maybe I should break it off altogether. But I do like her, it would be a shame, it's just that…yeah._

She sighed as she rolled off the couch, crossing to the freezer to find something for dinner, pulling her phone out in the process

"Hellooo?"

"Cupcake Girl. Come over." She huffed, and Quinn considered a sarky remark until she heard the brunette sigh, and tutted sympathetically

"Hey, you okay? What's up, Starlight?"

"Not much really, I would just like to see you and your lovely face and smoking hot bod." She whined with a small smile, and Quinn laughed

"God, what a charmer. How could I resist? Well, I'll be there in a few. _And_ I just got a new box of heroes"

"Awesome!" she grinned as she hung up, settling back on the couch and flicking on her xbox. The Cadbury's Heroes habit was one they had grown somewhat accustomed to. It had started when Quinn got a large tub for Christmas, and they had spent a whole day in bed having a Friends marathon.

"_Ew, you can have that one!" Quinn grimaced as she threw a sweet at Santana. The brunette's hands grasped at the air as she tried to catch it, but it sailed through her hands and landed on the floor_

"_Nice one, Babe Ruth" she rolled her eyes as she slid out of bed to pick up the sweet, and Quinn smiled innocently as she climbed back into the bed with a sigh "So why did you throw a…Fudge at me?" she glanced at the blonde as she unwrapped the sweet_

"_They're disgusting. Devil food." She hissed dramatically with a giggle and Santana raised an eyebrow_

"_I like them" she shrugged_

"_Well that works out nicely because I hate them." Quinn grinned, snuggling closer into Santana as the next episode started "Oh my God! I love this one!" she clapped her hands as she stuffed another sweet in her mouth,_

"_It's the flashbacks! Yes! Fat Monica!" Santana grinned excitedly and Quinn nodded furiously_

"_Best character! Easily the best out of everyone"_

"_I don't know…Janice is kind of awesome" Santana frowned thoughtfully, but Quinn shook her head_

"_No. The dance. Imagine the dance. Now." Santana giggled as Quinn began to wriggle around in the bed, re-enacting the character's dance, and Santana nearly choked on the Fudge as she laughed. Quinn gave a particularly violent jerk and the box of Heroes fell on its side, spilling the contents all over the bed and Quinn groaned with a blush_

"_Well done. But okay, yes. You're right, it's Fat Monica." Santana nodded with a giggle as they started to collect up the spilt chocolates_

"_Ooh, Dream!" Quinn plucked the blue wrapped sweet from Santana's hands, and she grimaced_

"_No way, you like them?"_

"_Yes. I'm a Dream girl" she winked "They taste like heaven!" but Santana shook her head, unconvinced_

"_Too sweet. White chocolate" she grimaced and Quinn smirked_

"_That's me! Well you eat all the Fudges and I'll eat the Dreams. Problem solved" she smiled, leaning back to peck Santana on the nose, and she scrunched her nose up in reaction_

"_Perfect" she tilted her head up to bite at the blonde's bottom lip, and Quinn squirmed away with a squeal before turning over, cupping Santana's face and pulling her into a long, chocolatey kiss._

"_Yup. Perfect" she nodded._

Heroes Days had become a regular occurrence in the last month.

-ooOoo-

"I totally wasn't going to stay…" Quinn groaned from the couch, plucking another chocolate from the box as Santana brushed her teeth, popping her head round the door frame to raise an intrigued eyebrow at Quinn "But I kind of can't be bothered getting up" she smiled and Santana grinned, leaning over to spit her mouthful of toothpaste into the sink

"Yeah, sure you can stay, I don't mind" she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes and Quinn laughed

"Yeah coz I'm sure you would have said no." she deadpanned as she pulled herself off the sofa, wandering over to stand behind the brunette as she finished brushing her teeth, wrapping her arms around her waist. Santana straightened up to wipe her mouth and Quinn placed a gentle kiss on her girl's bare neck.

Santana squirmed away with a giggle, turning in Quinn's arms to face her. "Well, now we'll never know what I would have said, thanks to your complete breach of privacy" she grinned, leaning in to kiss the blonde with a smile. She let out a small grunt of surprise as the blonde side-stepped, shifting Santana along the counter and placing her hands on the back of her thighs to hoist her onto the counter top. She felt the cold tile hit her bare legs and let out a squeak of shock, and Quinn giggled as she slid her hands up Santana's thighs, pulling her to the edge of the counter and pressing their bodies together.

Santana cupped the blonde's face as she leaned down to kiss her, and Quinn felt her heart lurch in her chest as the brunette slid her tongue into her mouth, biting at her bottom lip. She slid her hands under the thin fabric of the girl's t-shirt, scraping her nails down Santana's ribcage before pulling it off over her head. Santana's fingers made light work of the buttons on Quinn's shorts, but the blonde was already tugging at the girl's underwear, and Santana lifted herself up to allow them to be pulled off. Quinn giggled as Santana grimaced in shock when her bare skin touched the cold countertop, pulling her close again to nibble at her shoulder and collarbone.

-ooOoo-

Santana collapsed forward onto Quinn with a content sigh, her clammy forehead dropping onto the blonde's bare shoulder and she wound her legs around her waist. She was still panting, and she closed her eyes and swallowed, drinking in every detail from the moment. Quinn's fingers running slowly up and down her back. Her lips peppering gentle kisses across her shoulder. The sound of her heavy breathing mixed with the blonde's calm breaths. The smell of limes ever-present in the now-heavy air. The smooth, cold tiles underneath her. Quinn's palm, soft and warm against her ribcage. The girl's warm, stable body between her legs. Her soft blonde hairs tickling at her face as they breathed.

She took a deep breath, squeezing her eyes tightly shut as she felt a familiar stinging sensation, and swallowed. She pulled back as her breathing calmed, making sure to plaster a cheeky grin on her face as she did so, before pulling the blonde into another long kiss "Okay. You can stay" she rolled her eyes jokily as the pulled away

"Thanks" Quinn shook her head and placed a quick kiss on her nose before stepping back and turning to leave the bathroom. Santana's eyes followed her bare back as she left the room, and her eyelashes fluttered as she swallowed. Her chest was tight, and she nodded to herself before sliding off the counter and following the girl down the hall, leaving their discarded clothes behind.

-ooOoo-

They arrived at the bar before Puck and Rachel, and despite being Valentine's Day, it wasn't particularly crowded, and was nowhere near as busy as it had been the other night. Santana sat in their usual booth as Quinn went to buy drinks, gazing around at the tacky Valentine's Day decorations with an unimpressed glare. The blonde returned quickly and sat down next to the brunette, on the side of the booth facing the stage, with the door behind them. They talked and laughed for a few minutes before Santana pointed out Puck coming through the door behind them, followed by Rachel and then Sam.

Quinn frowned as they reached the table "What are you doing here?" she demanded, looking at Sam with a shocked expression, but he shrugged, clearly disgruntled

"Sugar had to do some job tonight after all. Some Valentine's ball or something. I dunno, she didn't mention it until yesterday" he shrugged again and sat down opposite them as Rachel slid in next to him with a smile

"So how are you guys?" the girls nodded and she grinned "Oh, Brittany text me saying that after their date, her and Jess are going to come by for like one drink before heading home, so we'll see them later"

"Oh, that's cool" Quinn grinned as Puck sat down beside Rachel, sliding the drinks across the table.

"To being single on Valentine's Day!" Puck grinned, holding up his drink, and Rachel tapped her own against it with a nod. Santana followed suit, and Quinn frowned uneasily as she did the same. Puck looked at Sam with a raised eyebrow, and he glared back.

"To seeing friends on Valentine's Day" he deadpanned with a small sigh, and they all took long gulps. Quinn leaned over to Santana before they could drink, muttering to the girl under her breath

"To bitchy girlfriend's that will hopefully soon be exes" Santana smirked, tapping her glass against the blonde's heartily, and they both drank enthusiastically

"So Sammy Boy!" Puck announced "What's on your song list tonight?" he grinned, but Sam frowned

"I don't really feel like it tonight" he shook his head, and Puck rolled his eyes

"What's that Gotye song? Somebody That I Used to Know? Maybe sing that?" Puck suggested

"I might sing Gonna Get Over You by Sara Bareilles" Santana smiled innocently

"I'm thinking I Will Survive" Rachel grinned

Quinn stretched out an arm to pat Sam on the arm comfortingly, and he smiled at her "What about you, sis? Gonna sing?"

"Um, maybe." She shrugged "I don't know"

"Well, I for one, intend to enjoy my night, and have a list of songs prepared. Excuse me, Noah" she pushed past the boy to go give the DJ a list of her songs, and they smirked as they watched her go

"That is one unstoppable little midget" Santana shook her head with a wry smile, and they all chuckled in agreement as the first singer stepped up onto the stage.

It was a young guy of about 20, with spiky blonde hair and a bad case of acne, who looked down awkwardly as he spoke "This ones for Sarah" he said down the mic with a sheepish grin, and Quinn rubbed Santana's back as the girl looked like she was going to cry or throw up as the opening bars of The Way You Look Tonight drifted out of the speakers, and the boy started to croon.

"Oh someone please just set me on fire." Santana grimaced, dropping her head onto the table as Rachel slid back into the booth "Just put me out of my misery!"

"Don't worry; I'm sure it won't _all_ be like this." Puck shrugged "There'll be single people here too!"

"Yeah, I put down to sing a song about single-dom" Rachel grinned and Santana lifted her head with a sigh.

"Go on...?"

"Puck and I are singing Riding Solo" she grinned and Puck opened his mouth in shock

"Are we?" he asked, clearly irate and Rachel smiled sweetly

"Hey Puck, you wanna sing Riding Solo with me?" he rolled his eyes before nodding unenthusiastically, and Rachel beamed. The boy left the stage and Santana breathed a sigh of relief as another girl stepped up.

"She looks single?" Quinn considered with a shrug

"Yeah but not through choice!" Santana remarked with a raised eyebrow, as the opening bars played "She probably has twelve cats and collects bingo cards. See; Someone Like You! This place is just a breeding ground for loneliness and a pity party tonight." She shook her head "I'm getting another drink" she took their orders and left to go to the bar, as the woman on stage started to break down into tears, her friend appearing b the stage to lead her away. They all giggled, and even Sam cracked a smile.

Next, an incredibly old man stepped up, smiling sweetly as Rod Stewart's Have I Told You Lately started playing "This ones for Edie, my wife of 52 years" he grinned and their jaws all dropped open in awe as he began to sing to the blushing old woman in the audience.

"That's so cute!" Puck whined and Sam nodded

"I know. They grew old together!"

"Seriously guys, man up" Rachel smirked as Santana appeared again

"Okay, this old guy just melted my cold, cold heart" she stated as she sat down again "They're adorable" she sighed

"Wow, you guys are so bad-ass" Quinn grinned as she glanced from the boys to Santana, who all blushed, while Sam and Puck cleared their throats and suddenly seemed to take up twice as much space with their new masculine seating positions.

Rachel jumped up on stage next and they cheered loudly as the opening bars of a Pink song started to play. She ripped the mic from the stand and danced around the stage sexily, giving the song all she had. She whipped her head round, messing up her hair as she sang, and the boys exchanged shocked and delighted glances. Santana gave an especially loud whistle as Rachel sang "keep your drink just give me the money, it's just you and your hand tonight" for the last time before bouncing back over to their table, slightly breathless and grinning

"Damn. Rachel's getting her sex on" Quinn winked as the small brunette took a long drink

"Yup, very nice Hobbit. Even I felt a little stirring" Santana smirked and Rachel rolled her eyes

"I'm not even going to ask you two" she looked at the boys and they nodded wordlessly, Puck blowing out along breath while Sam cleared his throat, wide eyed.

A few songs later, and a middle-aged woman stepped up to the stage as Elton John started to play. Thankfully the woman had a good voice, and her rendition of Your Song wasn't a complete abomination. It helped that she made it through the song without crying, and as she sang Quinn moved her hand to take Santana's. As her fingers brushed the back of the brunette's hand, the girl brought her arms up to rest on the table, and Quinn frowned slightly before pulling her hand back and taking a sip of her drink.

The next song was a slightly younger guy, with a thick beard and a gravelly voice. The Calling's Wherever You Will Go began to play, and the guy belted out a heartfelt rendition, pulling it off perfectly. Sam sang along quietly to himself, under his breath so his murmurings could barely be heard, but Rachel and Puck noticed the sadness in his eyes, and the girl placed a comforting hand on his back for a moment before he smiled and went to buy more drinks. Santana and Quinn watched the stage in silence, and Quinn slid her arm behind the brunette with a small smile.

Her forearm brushed against the slit of exposed skin at the bottom of Santana's back, but the brunette immediately shifted forwards, Quinn's arm falling to the fabric of the seat. She sighed quietly and pulled her arm back, swallowing as Santana stood up. "I'm going to go put my name down" she grinned, not meeting Quinn's eyes, and strode off to the DJ booth.

She returned moments later, just as Rachel pointed out the two girls coming through the door. They were holding hands and walking very close, talking under their breaths, and Quinn smiled fondly at the couple as they reached the booth and sat down, Brittany frowning when she realised they'd have to sit opposite and not beside each other. She leaned over to them and spoke quickly "Sam's here, by the way-"

"What? I thought-" Jess frowned but Quinn cut her off

"So did we. Cancellation; she's working. Don't mention it coz he's cut up, and I know Sam. Just leave him to wallow and he'll be fine, he's only really here for the company" the girls nodded and Quinn sat up straight again, smiling as Sam reappeared with the drinks.


	28. Let Me Go

They were still at the bar an hour later and Santana had just been called up to the stage. She took a deep breath as she stood up, ignoring their cheers and encouragement as she made her way to the podium. Quinn grinned, but the brunette didn't meet her eyes, and her smile faded slightly as she watched her walk away; enjoy the curves of the brunette's body, until the music began to play. It was unfamiliar and she didn't recognise it immediately, but Puck made a noise of approval at the slow opening piano melody. Quinn vaguely recognised the tune as Santana began to sing,

"_Baby we can talk all night, but that ain't getting us no where. I told you everything I possibly can, there's nothing left inside of me"_

Brittany and Rachel exchanged a wary glance and Jess and Puck frowned. Quinn swallowed as she listened to the lyrics Santana was singing, but the girl on stage didn't look up. Suddenly she could hear her heart rhythmically pounding in her ears and her chest felt tight, like there was a rope coiled around her, slowly being tightened. The humiliation started to creep up to her cheeks as the others glanced at her, when they could tear their eyes from Santana on the stage.

"_And all I can do, is keep on telling you I want you, I need you, but there ain't no way I'm ever gonna love you. Now don't be sad coz two out of three ain't bad"_

Jess glanced over, biting her lip as Quinn's jaw tensed. Suddenly here was a very sick feeling in the pit of the blonde's stomach, but she couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes away from the brunette on the stage; it was like passing a car crash. She chewed on her lip, and Sam glanced at her with a worried frown as he listened to the brunette's words.

"_I can't lie, I can't tell you that I'm something I'm not. No matter how I try I'll never be able to give you something, something that I just haven't got."_

If Santana was aiming for a subtle song meaning, she definitely hadn't achieved her goal. Quinn cleared her throat quietly, pressing her lips together tightly as a stinging sensation grew behind her unblinking eyes.

"_There's only one girl that I will ever love, and that was so many years ago"_

Rachel glanced at Brittany and their eyes met with fearful understanding as the brunette continued her singing. She sang beautifully, but the song choice was not lost on anyone. It began to finish, and Quinn twisted her hands, staring down into her lap as the brunette sang the last lines.

"_Baby we can talk all night, but that ain't getting us nowhere."_

They all clapped politely, with a mixture of bemusement, unease, and tense irritation, and sat awkwardly in silence when the applause died down as Santana made her way back over to the table. She sat down with a polite smile, immediately reaching for her drink, and Quinn stared at the wet ring her glass had made on the table-top.

"Nice song, San" Puck nodded and she smiled her thanks. Rachel simply stared at her, while Jess and Sam averted their eyes

"Well sung as always, Santana" Brittany said politely, and Quinn took a breath

"I'm gonna sing. I'll be back in a second" she heading purposefully towards the DJ, and Sam glanced up nervously before Jess met his eye with a worried look, and the blonde returned a few minutes later.

They all made awkward conversation for the next few minutes, talking with forced casualness, until Quinn's name was called. She smiled politely at Santana as she cleared her throat and stood up "Wish me luck." They all shouted their support, and her heart rate sped up as she stepped up onto the stage "I need to thank Rachel Berry for finding a bar with so much song-choice for my next song" she grinned and Rachel's eyes widened in alarm as everyone turned to look at her questioningly, but she simply shrugged.

Their questions were answered as Quinn took a deep breath as the familiar piano tune started and Rachel nodded "Avenue Q" she muttered and some of the other frowned, whilst Jess and Brittany nodded.

"_There's a fine, fine line between a lover, and a friend. There's a fine, fine line between reality and pretend. And you never know til you reach the top if it was worth the uphill climb. There's a fine, fine line between love and a waste of time."_

Rachel, Jess and Brittany exchanged a worried looks as Santana watched the blonde, her jaw tensed and her eyes wide, never leaving the blonde as Quinn continued

"_There's a fine, fine line between a fairy tale, and a lie. And there's a fine, fine line between 'you're wonderful' and 'goodbye'. I guess if someone doesn't love you back, it isn't such a crime. But there's a fine, fine line between love and a waste of your time"_

Quinn stared down at the stage under her feet as the music built, refusing to look up at her table of friends, and biting back tears. Puck and Sam glanced at each other, shifting awkwardly and Rachel reached out to grip Brittany's hand for support. The blonde on stage held the mic with both hands as she belted out the next lines, finally turning to look Santana in the eye

"_And I don't have the time to waste on you anymore. I don't think you even know what you're looking for"_ she shook her head, and dropped her eyes down into the audience, staring blankly, singing to no one _"For my own sanity I've got to close the door, and walk away" _

She swallowed _"There's a fine, fine line between together and not, and there's a fine, fine line between what you wanted and what you got."_ She shrugged sadly as her eyes darted up to the brunette, pulling the mic from its stand and taking a deep breath. Santana was now sat on the edge of her chair, her elbows resting on her knees, watching Quinn intently as she belted the song out, ignoring the tears at the corners of her eyes.

She bit them back before mustering all of her strength to sing the last lines quietly, staring at the brunette, who was gazing back intently _"There's a fine, fine line between love and a waste of... time"_ her voice broke on the last line, and instead of holding the last note, she finished singing and placed the mic back in it's stand swiftly. She strode off the stage, the music still echoing in her ears as she crossed to the booth, picking up her bag and leaving the bar quickly.

-ooOoo-

"Quinn, wait!" Santana ran down the street after her but she shook her head sadly and kept walking. "Quinn, please" she put her hand on her shoulder and Quinn whirled around, taking a step back

"No! No, Santana. This isn't one of those times where you chase after me and apologize and we go back to being 'happy' in some fucked up _non_-relationship!" she swallowed as tears finally cascaded down her cheeks "This _isn't_ one of those times. You don't get to make this right and be cute, and get my forgiveness. You completely humiliated me in there, first of all!" she wiped her tears furiously and Santana looked down at her feet

"I know, I'm so-"

"What do you want from me?" she held her arms open wide with a shrug "Before I was your girlfriend, but now we're not a couple? Am I supposed to just accept that I'm your twisted little fuck buddy whenever _you_ decide or something? Just live with you being hot and cold and not knowing what you want and just wanting and having me when _you _feel like it? Because I can't do that anymore. And I won't. I'm tired of feeling emotionally..._exhausted_ because I don't know which version of you to expect to see! It's ridiculous!"

"Quinn, please, I-" Santana shook her head with a frown as tears began to roll down her cheeks

"No! Just...no. For once, please just _don't_ give me your bullshit excuses." She stepped towards Santana, cupping her face with one hand as she brushed away a strand of hair, before wiping away a tear from the girl's face "You are one of the sweetest people I have _ever_ met. You're kind, and funny and smart and so beautiful. But..._no_, Santana." She shook her head sadly as her voice broke, and Santana opened her mouth to speak again but she stepped back and shook her head again "Please. If you care about me even the _tiniest_ bit...just let me break this pattern we have going."

"What pattern?" Santana stared at her, looking lost and vulnerable, and Quinn swallowed

"Where you do something stupid and I get mad, and then you do something cute and I just forgive you. Whilst all the while you run hot and cold and we laugh and are perfect one minute then the next moment you're being shifty and awkward, and telling me you can't give me more or whatever. Where you try to make up for your mistakes but never realise that you need to at least _try _to not make them in the first place. Where I have _no idea w_hat I mean to you, or if you care at all" She shook her head sadly, wiping away the tears from her face and averting her eyes

"But...Q..." Santana frowned, her lip trembling, and Quinn shook her head furiously, angry again

"No! Don't _do_ that, Santana! Because I'm not going to feel sorry for you! Just _please_, let me go. And just stay out of my life so I can live without you screwing me over _every other day_. Just leave me alone, to be happy, by myself, like I was before you started playing with me and messing me around all the time. Just leave me alone." She shook her head with a defeated shrug, and swallowed before turning to walk away.

Santana watched her.

-ooOoo-

Santana turned back into the bar, crossing slowly to the table as someone screeched out Queen's Somebody To Love on the stage. She grabbed her jacket and bag, saying nothing, and turned to leave the bar.

The others looked between them in silence, before Sam took a deep breath and grabbed his coat "Okay, I'm going after Quinn. I'll see you guys later." He made to leave the table but Jess placed a hand on his arm with a worried frown.

"Let us know if she's alright?" he nodded, his shoulders tense, and she gave him a small smile before releasing her grip.

Puck had left the table while the girls were outside, and was now talking to a girl by the bar, leaving the three girls sat in silence. Jess was sat with a worried frown, chewing at her lip incessantly, while Brittany picked at the table with a sad frown. Rachel sat staring at the ceiling, her chin in her hands, before speaking

"Should I go after San?" she asked uneasily, and Jess shrugged while Brittany turned to look at Rachel, wearing a matching frown

"I have no idea."

"I feel like I should go support her. Even though she was being a total asshole." She shrugged, and Brittany nodded

"But sometimes she just likes to be alone?" Brittany twisted her mouth thoughtfully and Rachel sighed.

"Okay, I'm gonna go see if she's okay. If she tells me to fuck off and calls me hobbit, I will see you guys at home." She stood from the booth with a mall smile that didn't reach her eyes, and made for the door, but Jess grabbed Brittany's hand and dragged her out

"No, wait! Rach we'll just come, too." Jess shrugged tiredly "Home I mean, you can go see Santana. But let's just go"

Brittany waved to Puck and he raised an eyebrow before waving cheerily back, turning back to the girl as they left the bar.

-ooOoo-

"Quinn!"

She stormed down the street, not even pausing to turn at the voice. "Quinn!" She had only reached a few paces before Sam's strong arms wrapped around her, pulling her close into his chest. She collapsed against him, burying her face in his sweater, and clinging to the front of his coat, inhaling his familiar comforting smell. He pulled her closer, out of the way of the street, and squeezed tightly, dropping his head sadly to kiss the top of her head.

They stood silently for a moment, Quinn clinging to her brother, and Sam holding her weight. "Sam..." she whimpered and he murmured his acknowledgement against her hair, but she just shook her head silently, swallowing her words. He took a deep breath and sighed as rested his jaw against her temple as her sobs and sniffled slowly subsided slightly

"This Valentine's Day sucks, huh?" he muttered in her ear and she gave a small laugh, pulling her head back to stare at his chest. She nodded sadly, picking at a thread in his jumper, and he slid one arm up to wrap around her shoulders, squeezing her against him as he began to walk again, at a slower pace.

They walked in silence until they reached Quinn's apartment building, and he followed her up to the apartment, making her a cup of tea as she changed and washed for bed. She padded into the kitchen in his old school hoody and a pair of pyjama bottoms, and he smiled when he saw it "I can't believe you still have that" he laughed softly as she sat down, placing the drink down in front of her, but she just nodded silently.

He sat with her and waited her to finish her drink before standing, hoisting Quinn to her feet. He placed one arm behind her knees and one on her back and swung her upwards as she clasped her hands around his neck. He carried her through to the bedroom, sliding her under the covers and switching the lamp on, standing to lean over and flick off the overhead light.

"Try to get some sleep" he said kindly from the doorway, and she nodded before he turned and left the room. He returned a few moments later with a trash can, a box of tissues and a toilet roll, and placed a glass of water and two aspirins on the bedside table, sitting on the bed beside her with a sympathetic sigh "Girls suck sometimes. They just do." He nodded sadly "But I love you."

She smiled weakly and he tucked the cover around her as she snuggled down into the bed. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead as she closed her eyes. He reached over and flicked the lamp off, before turning to creep out of the room.

"Sam?" the girl whispered from the bed

"Yeah?" he asked softly and she nodded

"Thank you"

"It's no problem. Love you, night" he smiled and pulled the door shut behind him, before cleaning up the kitchen and moving to the door of the apartment. He paused as he heard a whimpering cry from the bedroom, but forced himself to leave her to deal with it by herself, like he knew she would want to. He gave a heavy sigh, cursing Santana under his breath, before leaving the apartment.

-ooOoo-

"Santana?" she rapped her knuckles on the wooden door. No answer. "San? Santana, let me in."

"Oh, go away." The girl's muffled voice came from behind the door, and Rachel sighed

"Are you sure you don't want to let me in?" she bit her lip, and was about to turn and leave at the slack of response, when the door was jerked open.

"What?" Santana demanded

"I just wanted to check on you. You didn't look very okay. Do you want to talk?" she frowned, and Santana rolled her eyes

"There's nothing to talk about" she shrugged

"Okay, you just looked upset, that's all" Rachel smiled kindly but Santana scoffed

"I wasn't upset. I don't do upset. I was pissed at Quinn. She just fucking freaked out or something. It was just stupid, she's being totally overdramatic. No, I have nothing to talk about. It's not a big deal, she says she doesn't want to talk anymore and wants me out of her life and shit. Fine with me" she shrugged again with nonchalant smirk, and Rachel swallowed

"Okay. That's okay then. Guess I'll see you later." She nodded with a small smile, and Santana waved as she turned down the corridor, the door clicking closed behind her.

She pressed her back to the door before sliding down it; landing slumped on the floor with a sigh. She flicked the lamp off at the plug beside her, staring out into her dark apartment as her eyes adjusted. She made sure not to look in the direction of the kitchen, especially the fridge, and ignored the clean laundry, half of it Quinn's, hanging up to dry in the living room. Her feet slid across the floor to lay flat in front of her, and she pulled them back up, tight to her chest, and wrapping her arms around them.

She gulped back the lump in her throat as she leaned her head forward, her forehead landing on her knees with a small jolt, and blinked in the darkness. Shetook a deep breath, biting her lip as the stinging behind her eyes subsided, and a slow trickle of tears tracked down her cheeks.

* * *

><p><strong>Okay. Hi guys. So how many of you hate me right now? ...I thought so. <strong>

**Also, I'd advise youtubing Meatloaf - Two Out of Three Ain't Bad and Avenue Q - There's a Fine, Fine Line.**  
><strong>Because they're both awesome songs.<strong>

**Love you all _even if_ you hate me now, and I'm ever thankful for all of your LOVELY reviews.**  
><strong>I am <em>positive<em> that I have the nicest readers. Although I am now expecting lots of angry reviews.**


	29. Delete

_Hiya, it's Jess. Rachel and Brittany are getting really mad and depressed, and at the moment they're a total shit show, and it's awful to live with. They love and miss you so much, and I love you too. So I'm sorry, but stop being so fucking selfish. Rachel isn't going to visit you, I am instead._ Delete.

_Me again. That's it. Four weeks? It's ridiculous! I haven't even seen you in March! I will ring again tomorrow and if you don't answer, I'm getting the spare key back and just coming to find you. _Delete.

_It's Rachel. Santana this is getting ridiculous! Not only do we miss you but we know you're obviously not okay! Call me! _Delete.

_What up, it's Puckerman, where you been Lopez? Damn. Call a brother. _Delete.

_It's Rachel. Come ON, Santana! I know you're just screening our calls!_ Delete.

_Hiya it's Jess. We appreciate the texts to tell us you're okay and everything, but the girls are getting worried. And Brittany's sad. And I don't like that. Just come see us, just for five minutes. _Delete.

_Hey it's Rachel, would you please come out of your hole to talk to us? _Delete.

_Hiya it's Jess. Well no answer at your door? Even though I'm pretty sure you were home. Sure you just didn't hear it or something. Call us, San. _Delete.

_Hey it's Rachel, please call me back. We miss you! _Delete.

_Santana it's Brittany. It's been three weeks and we miss you. You have to talk to us sometime. Call me, or even just text us and let us know you're alive? _Delete.

_Hiya it's Jess. I'm coming to see you tonight, seeing as you didn't come to karaoke. See you, love! _Delete.

_Hey it's Rach, are you coming to the bar tonight? Hope so! _ Delete.

_San it's Brittany! We're going to karaoke tonight, I hope you're coming! Miss you lots!_ Delete.

_Hiya it's Jess. Thought I'd drop you a line seeing as we've not heard from you in a couple of weeks, call soon! We miss you! _Delete.

_Hey it's Rach, do you wanna do something this weekend? _Delete.

_San it's Britts! Do you want to come to the movies with us all tomorrow? Love you. _Delete.

_What up, it's Puckerman. Not seen you since last week, was wondering how you are. _Delete.

_Hey it's Rach, I know I already called but I was wondering if you were okay? I know you said you are, but I haven't seen you since...Valentine's Day. Just give me a call, love you! _Delete.

_San it's Britts, are you okay? Haven't spoken to you since the other night, and I don't want you to be sad or anything. Love you lots! Call me. _Delete.

_Hey it's Rach, how are you? Thinking of going to the bar tomorrow, if you want to get drinks? Or we can go somewhere else? Love you, call me! _Delete.

_What up it's Puckerman. Why did everyone leave yesterday? No one said bye I just saw Sam storm out after you left? _Delete.

-ooOoo-

Quinn swung the door open, her head bobbing slightly as the music blared in her ears. _Something always brings me back to you, it never takes too long. No matter what I say or do, I still feel you here til the moment I'm gone. You hold me without touch, you keep me without chains. I've never wanted anything so much, than to drown in your love, and not feel your rain. Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity._

She sighed. _Oh, Sara Bareilles, how accurate you are._ She pulled the earphones out, letting them dangle around her neck as she slid her coat up and hung it on the hook. She stopped for a moment on the doorstep, subconsciously holding in a breath as she listened intently. The apartment was silent. She swallowed before continuing inside, immediately crossing to the kitchen for a cup of tea. Quinn's apartment was almost exactly the same as it had been four weeks ago, aside from one picture frame, and a stack of clothes, books and films that now sat on the top shelf of her closet, out of sight and out of mind.

The intercom on the wall buzzed, and she grinned as she crossed to the door, buzzing the entry and opening the door as she waited for her arrivals. Jess, Brittany and Rachel appeared from the elevator, all grinning madly as she greeted them and they followed her into the apartment.

"So what are you cooking?" Brittany smiled "Smells good"

"I am making beef stroganoff" she smiled back as the girls made themselves comfortable in the living room while Brittany perched on a chair to watch her "And Rachel is having tofu stroganoff with all dairy-substitutes"

"Thank you!" the girl grinned from the armchair "So update us! Feels like I haven't seen you in years!" she giggled and Jess frowned

"You saw her three days ago!" she protested and Quinn rolled her eyes

"Well, many people have said that not seeing me for a day feels a lot longer" she boasted "People just fall apart without me" she smiled sweetly with a shrug, and Brittany snorted

"Between you and Rachel, I'm not sure who's more modest" she remarked and the brunette pouted.

"_Anyway_" she carried on pointedly "How are things?"

"How are you feeling?" Brittany chipped in

"Not so bad, really." She shrugged again "Truthfully, I don't know. Some days I feel like just not getting out of bed." The girls nodded their understanding, staring thoughtfully as they reminisced for a moment "But then other days, like today, I feel fine. Not exactly _good_, but okay. And right now okay is enough." She nodded and the girls looked impressed

"Well, at least you're feeling better more?" Jess shrugged with a smile as she kneeled on the couch, resting her chin on the back to face the kitchen

"More. Not always. There's still moments. Like in the store yesterday, a song started playing and I nearly cried in the dessert aisle. But then today I've barely thought about it, and I feel good."

"Well that's okay" Rachel raised her eyebrows encouragingly "You're allowed to have crappy days."

"It makes the good days twice as good" Brittany smiled gently, and she nodded

"Yeah. And I have all of you guys to help!" she grinned and they all blushed, smiling shyly. There was a moment of silence before Quinn took a large breath "So...we all know I'm going to ask. Still no word?"

They shook their head wordlessly and she nodded slowly. She turned back to her cooking, and the matter was considered closed as they all directed their attention away, making irrelevant remarks and small talk until it was time to eat.

-ooOoo-

"Hold on, I'll catch up!" Jess grinned, squeezing the tall blonde's hand as they descended the stairs before taking a few paces back to the blonde at the door "Hey. I wanted to...I mean, I'm just...I'm proud of you. For moving on so well and everything" she shrugged and Quinn smiled with a nod

"Well, I probably couldn't have done it without you. But, I'm not falling apart. Not anymore" she added with a guilty expression, "Thank you."

Jess pulled her in for a hug before turning to go, but Quinn placed a hand on her arm

"Oh! One more thing. If you do see her soon, could you maybe get my stuff back? And..." she gulped hard, "And give her this" she blinked rapidly as she reached into her back and pulled a key off her loop, placing it in Jess' palm "And, maybe ask if she wants her stuff too?" she gave a small smile, and Jess nodded silently before smiling and turning to go.

Quinn let the door close with a soft click, staring down at her loop of keys. She took a deep breath and changed for bed, sliding under the cool covers with a sigh. Turning onto her back, she stared up at the dark ceiling with a small frown. She swallowed, and closed her eyes, before snapping them open again seconds later as flashbacks and memories flooded her mind once again. Like every night. She rolled over, staring at the empty pillow beside her, biting her lip as she thought of its last occupant.

She sighed heavily and sat up, frowning as she dropped her head into her hands. Like every night for four weeks. She swung her legs around off the edge of her bed, wriggling her toes against the cold floor beneath her feet. She grabbed her pillow, and the thick comforter from the end of the bed, dragging them behind her as she left the room. Like she had every night. She threw the pillow onto the arm of the sofa, flicking the blanket across the cushions and settling herself in to the makeshift bed. Like every night.

As she lay in the darkness, she felt the familiar lump form in her throat, the stinging sensation behind her eyes, and the tightness in her chest, and reached over to grab the tissue box from the coffee table.

Like every night.

-ooOoo-

Santana pulled off her coat as she returned to the apartment from work, and sighed as she gazed around the apartment. It was filthy once again. She really needed to clean up all the take-out cartons and food wrappers. Wash the empty glasses and crockery scattered across all surfaces. Pick up the dirty clothes lying everywhere. Cook again, instead of ordering take-out every day. Stop playing so much xbox. Sleep more.

She felt her heart rate increase slowly. The slow pounding's rhythm got quicker, but her breathing remained calm, her face a perfect mask of serenity. She took a long, drawn-out breath, feeling her lungs inflate and her chest rise, holding it in and swallowing before the air in her chest became too much to hold, the breath became a stinging, and she exhaled again, her shoulders dropping in defeat.

She leaned back against the hard cold wood behind her, sliding down onto the floor and pulling her legs up to her chest. She had done the same thing almost daily for four weeks, gazing out at an apartment that gradually got dirtier and less cared-for as the nights slowly got lighter. She gradually sat there for less time each day as time wore on. In the first week she would sit for hours, until the hard floor underneath her became an uncomfortable aggravation, and then a mere irritation, until she couldn't feel it at all. She only crawled to her feet when the empty sensation morphed into one of hunger, and then starvation.

Aside from the mess, nothing much had changed in the apartment. The fridge door was now empty, the pieces of paper carefully and methodically in a small box in the bottom drawer, along with another girl's clothes. The out-of-date smoothie carton still sat in the fridge, and the half-empty Heroes box still sat on the top shelf of the cupboard. Outrageous Fortunes and series six of Friends still lay scattered below the TV in the bedroom, slowly gathering dust. Group photos were still stuck to the dressing table mirror, while other pictures, those with much fewer occupants, had gone in the box in the bottom drawer along with the notes.

She listened to the words being sung in her ears. She had listened to the same playlist for four weeks. _Days are passing by and all the leaves are changing too. But time won't change the things unsaid. Coz everything is different now, I'd really like to tell you how. How I, I wanted you here by side. I know what I said but I lied. It looked like I laughed, but I cried. _She climbed to her feet, only minutes after she had sat down, pulling the earphones out and turning her iPod off.

She crossed to the bedroom to change out of her work clothes and into sweatpants and a t-shirt. She settled herself in front of the TV, deleting the newest four messages from her phone, not even listening to them anymore, and flicked the xbox on. An hour later she called and delivered pizza, eating it on the couch in front of the TV and discarding the box on the floor. She sighed as there was a knock at the door, barely reacting. She didn't get up, she didn't shout an excuse, she didn't even look up.

"Fine then! I'm coming in! You'd better not be naked."

Her jaw tensed, and she gazed around thoughtfully as she heard a key slide into the lock. Maybe she should jump up and attempt to tidy everything? Maybe she should open the door with a smile and excuse the mess. Maybe she shout turn the light on, to at least attempt to look like a functioning human being. Maybe she should shout to the familiar voice to let her change first. Maybe she should look welcoming.

"You look like shit."

She didn't move. She completely ignored the girl who was now crossing to the living room with a wary grimace.

"Santana. Pause the game before I turn it off and you can't save. Don't test me." Her hand hovered over the button and Santana saved the game, continuing to play.

"Fine then."

Jess switched the console off, but Santana remained staring at the black screen, dropping the controller to her side. The other girl stood and made her way over to the couch, clearing a space beside Santana and sinking back into the couch beside her. Santana didn't look at her.

"Quinn told us what happened." Santana didn't react, sitting motionless as her stomach turned over at the familiar name, and she felt her throat constrict. "Well, first she told_ us_ what happened, about how she screamed at you and then walked away. Then she told _me _what _actually _happened." Santana nodded, her lips still firmly pressed together, and Jess sighed.

"I know you don't want to talk about it. So...she gave me your key, and she wants her stuff. But I'd like it if you'd talk to me. I get that sometimes it's hard to admit things to your friends and stuff. So I thought it might be easier to talk to me than Rachel or Brittany" she shrugged, but Santana only nodded again.

"But if you don't want to talk I'll just get her stuff." Santana stood from the couch, walking wordlessly to the bedroom, returning a few moments later with a stack of clothes, a cookery book, two CDs and four DVDs. She placed them on Jess' lap and sat back down beside her, and Jess nodded gratefully.

"Do you want any of your stuff that she might have?" Santana shook her head "Okay then." She stood up, crossing to the door before turning back, her hand resting on the handle. "I really hope you'll talk to us again soon. The others don't know I'm here, or they would want to come and I knew you wouldn't want to see them. But they really miss you. I don't think you realise how much. And I think you're being selfish. I understand that you want to work through stuff on your own, and don't want people interfering. But now you're just blocking them out, and they're suffering because of it. Because you're just being stubborn. You can work through your problems alone and still have friends, Santana. Just don't let it become too late."

Jess shrugged and turned her back; pulling the door open but a croak from the sofa stopped her.

"Wait."

"Okay." She sighed and closed the door, placing the pile of stuff on the floor and crossing back to sit beside the brunette again "Are you going to talk?" There was no reply, but Santana gave a small, thoughtful frown, and Jess nodded "Okay. Well, whenever you want." She reached over and flicked the TV on, settling on Friends, but the Latina reached over and changed the channel almost immediately.

They sat in silence for a while until Santana cleared her throat quietly "We're not going to talk about..."

"Her?" Santana nodded and Jess gave a kind smile "Okay."

"I feel like shit." Jess nodded sympathetically "There's just this feeling. Everywhere I go. It just sits, like, here." She dug her fingernails into her chest as she spoke, still not looking at the girl beside her, but staring blankly ahead. She pressed a little harder before dropping her hand into her lap again with a sigh, and Jess nodded again "And it doesn't go away." She shook her head sadly and Jess bit her lip

"Do you want to watch a sad film and cry all over me? I'll let you" she gave a small laugh but Santana just smiled politely, a smile that barely moved her features.

"I'm all cried out, actually."

She wasn't. Truthfully, she hadn't cried since Valentine's Day. Every day she came home and slumped down on the welcome mat. Every day she thought she would burst from all of the emotions surging up from her stomach into her chest, pounding at her organs and pushing at her skin, begging to be let out. Every day her eyes stayed dry, and she swallowed the feelings back into her stomach to let them fester for another day, before climbing to her feet once again to continue her routine.

Jess watched Santana in silence. She could see the thoughts spinning around behind the girl's blank expression and took a deep breath, hoping to crash down the wall that was stopping Santana from communicating. She knew she was taking a risk, but was hoping Santana would set her ego aside for a moment,

"I know about Lily."

"Get out."


	30. Changed

**Okay, this should have gone at the start of the last chapter but I didn't realise…I REACHED 200 REVIEWS! And the majority of them are COMPLETELY lovely! I love you all, readers and reviewers, so thank you very much!**

**And as always, special thanks to all of the people who review every chapter, you are all especially wonderful :D**

* * *

><p>"Hey"<p>

"Oh my God, Santana! Hi!" Rachel waved at Brittany, who was staring open mouthed from the kitchen, pointing furiously at the phone and mouthing _Santana_ repeatedly

"You told Jess."

Her eyes widened comically and she winced at Brittany "Um…what?" she asked casually

"How does Jess know about Lily, Rachel?" her voice was stern, and Rachel bit her lip

"We told her…?"

-o-

"_Hey, what did you say to Quinn?" Brittany frowned as Jess caught up with them outside the apartment building_

"_Nothing, just that I'm proud of her for moving on so well" She smiled with a shrug, and Brittany wrapped an arm around her shoulders _

"_Although I admit that this has been a perfectly enjoyable evening…" Rachel pouted "I miss Santana. I mean, I know we won't be able to hang out with them both again. But, I just miss seeing her."_

"_But what can we do? She won't even come out of her apartment, let alone talk to us!" the blonde's shoulders slumped and Jess frowned_

"_I'm sorry, but I don't even get why all of this is happening! First they were together, _then_ Santana was being an arsehole, then they just suddenly _weren't _together after practically being _girlfriends_?" she threw her arms up in frustration, and Brittany and Rachel exchanged a worried glance. Jess frowned, pointing furiously between the two girls "What was that? That look?"_

"_What?"_

"_Nothing!"_

"_No, tell me." Jess insisted "There's something more to this. I get_ _that Santana has commitment issues or whate-"_

"_Oh, Santana has the _mother_ of all commitment issues!" Brittany interrupted, shaking her head incredulously, and Rachel nodded knowingly as they began to ascend the stairs to their apartment_

"_Santana hasn't always been like this, with the commitment issue and the messing girls around and hot and cold thing." She shrugged,_

"_Right. So why is she now?" Jess shook her head questioningly, and Brittany unlocked the apartment with a sigh_

"_Okay guys, let's get comfy. Rachel, you're telling the story." Jess frowned, taking a seat on the couch, Brittany perching beside her, while Rachel lay across the armchair._

"_So, Santana hasn't always been like this. With the commitment problems. If anything, the complete opposite. Right, let's start at the very beginning. A very good place to start." She smiled, and Jess scowled impatiently at her while Brittany rolled her eyes, and she blushed "Sorry. So, a week after I met her, Santana met this gay girl called Lily. And she was just…completely smitten. She raved about her all the time, Lily this, Lily that. She didn't talk about anything else. They started dating, and after like three weeks, they were already girlfriends. Because they just…gelled. They fit perfectly, it was fairytale romance. They were perfect together; in love after like, a month. If that, they were in love after like two weeks! Lily was Santana's whole world, and they were both just so happy together. When we met Brittany a few months later, she thought they were already married."_

"_They were like newlyweds." Brittany chipped in_

"_Yeah. Lily was everything to Santana. She wasn't just her girlfriend, she was her best friend, her confidante. She knew everything about San; she knew her better than I ever will. Santana would have trusted Lily with her life, and given her life for Lily. She would have done anything, she was absolutely head over heels, completely devoted. It wasn't like she was Santana's first love, at least I don't think so, but she was her everything. They just worked; Santana would talk about marriage and Lily wouldn't even bat an eyelid, Lily could mention forever and San would just smile fondly. Like, it was just a given that they were going to be together. Forever. And they were both over the moon with the idea. They were in love." She shrugged simply, and Jess frowned, leaning forward_

"_So…what happened?"_

"_Well, Santana was on her way home one day, and she decided to act on impulse."_

"_Oh God, what happened?" Jess was sat on the edge of the couch, listening intently and staring between the two girls, but Brittany shook her head sadly as Rachel continued_

"_Basically, Santana went to Lily's, because Lily was at work and Santana wanted to get one of her rings so she could get the right sized engagement ring." Jess gasped in horror "So she let herself into Lily's apartment, and found Lily. On the couch. Having sex."_

"_Oh my God!"_

"_It gets worse. She was having sex with a guy." Jess looked utterly dismayed, and Brittany sighed sadly "Apparently Santana just threw up everywhere and left."_

"_She was a wreck. She was just…completely broken. She cried for days. Weeks, actually. She wouldn't come out of her apartment for two weeks, and then when she would finally let us see her, she just cried. She cried until she was sick, she cried herself to sleep. She wouldn't eat, she didn't sleep. It was horrible" Brittany frowned sadly at the memory, and Jess listened intently, close to tears herself_

"_That's horrible."_

"_It was" Rachel nodded "She was just completely useless for like a month. And since then, no girl has ever been allowed as close as Lily. Girls became play things to her. She's afraid, of getting hurt, of being vulnerable. She's changed." She shrugged sadly and Jess nodded with a frown._

-o-

"Ugh! She hung up! Rachel cried, throwing herself down onto the couch,

"Fuck!" Brittany started clattering angrily in the kitchen "What did she say?"

Jess stuck her head around the bathroom door frame, an eyebrow raised at the commotion, unseen by the two girls, as Rachel replied "She just asked how Jess knows about Lily. Then hung up."

"Fuck!" Brittany repeated, before pausing with a frown "Wait, how does she know we told Jess?"

"I told her." The girls turned to look at her, and she stood looking sheepish, in the hallway "I'm sorry."

"Wait, you went to see her?" Rachel frowned, and Brittany's jaw dropped

"And she let you in?"

"Well, no. But, _that's_ actually what Quinn said the other night. I told her I was proud, and she said she wanted me to go get her stuff from Santana, so she gave me her key so I could get in. I would have told you guys but I knew you'd want to come. I'm sorry, it just didn't seem like a great idea for us all to go barrelling and try to get her to open up to us _whilst_ I'm talking all of Quinn's stuff from the apartment."

"Yeah, that's understandable. It _would _be kind of like an emotional overhaul" Rachel shrugged thoughtfully as Brittany sighed.

"So then what?"

"Well, I was about to leave and she told me to stay. It was the first time she'd spoken, actually. But I stayed. And I thought maybe, if she knew that I knew, she might be more willing to talk. So I told her I knew about Lily."

"And?"

"She told me to get out. I'm sorry, guys! I just thought maybe she'd be more willing to talk with just one of us but…I fucked it up, didn't I?" she sighed sadly, and Brittany pulled her into a hug

"No, it's okay. It's not like you've set us back, at least we've spoken to her. But…what do we do now?"

"Well, "Rachel frowned "At least we're all sort of on the same page now? There are no more secrets, everyone knows…everything. Maybe we should just go see her?"

"Yeah, I mean, she answered the door to me. And we even sat for a while. Not talking, but you know…it's a start?" she suggested desperately, and Rachel nodded thoughtfully

"Maybe now she's seen one of us she won't mind?" Brittany shrugged "Was she crying non-stop, like with Lily?"

Jess frowned warily "No, actually. She didn't cry at all."

"Really? Oh God, that can't be good." Rachel stared between them, with scared eyes "I mean, crying non-stop is bad. But this is Santana, and she's different now. So if she's not crying, she's bottling."

"And that's even worse" Brittany gulped.

"We have to go see her."

-ooOoo-

"Santana, it's us. Are you going to let me in or should we just leave now?" Rachel knocked again with a sigh as she was greeted only by silence.

Santana bit her lip, staring at the door with wide-eyes. She swallowed the lump in her throat and took a long, rattling breath. "It's open" she called in a small voice, and Brittany and Rachel paused for a moment, exchanging a surprised look before pushing the door open.

"Hey"

"Hi"

Santana only stared back at them, and Brittany immediately crossed to the couch to pull her into a hug. It was barely reciprocated as the girl simply patted Brittany on the back gently. Rachel gazed around the apartment, trying not to let the shock and disgust register on her face, as Santana stared back at her from the mess. She took a deep breath, smiling at the brunette on the couch "Okay. If you want to talk, you talk. I, however, am going to clean up your mess." She set about the apartment, throwing food cartons into a rubbish bag and the dishes into the sink, and Santana frowned, watching her as Brittany smiled sympathetically

"Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know what to say"

"You could start with what you've been doing for the last five weeks? Why you won't talk to any of us? What happened with...on Valentine's Day?" Rachel called over as she began to pick up all of the dirty clothes littered around the apartment, throwing them into the laundry basket she had dragged from the bedroom.

"I dunno. Work, home, food. Not much." She spoke quietly, and shrugged "What about you guys?"

"We're fine. But you know that's not why we're here" Brittany looked at her sadly and she looked away

"Well, clearly I'm fine" she shrugged casually and Rachel rolled her eyes

"Clearly. Well, either way it's nice to see you. You look..."

"Like shit. Yeah Jess told me. Speaking of Jess...what did you tell her?" suddenly the girl's jaw was set, and her eyes were hard as she stared between the two girls, who shifted uncomfortably under the glare. Brittany cleared her throat, silent for a few minutes and Santana sighed "Rachel?"

"Fine" she sighed and sat down on the sofa beside Santana, who glared at her as she spoke "I'm your best friend and you know I love you."

"Same" Brittany nodded

"So yes, we told Jess about Lily. And you're really not going to like what I have to say next, but someone has to tell you."

"Rach..." Brittany glanced at Santana uneasily

"No, Brittany. Come on, this is ridiculous!" Rachel threw her arms up in despair as Santana tensed

"Shut up. Guys just go away" she folded her arms and sat back on the sofa, looking away from the other girls with a scowl as she felt a familiar lump grow in her throat as a nauseous feeling grew in her stomach.

"Rach, come on" Brittany shrugged sadly and Rachel looked between the two girls

"No. You know what, Brittany you don't have to have any part of this but I'm saying something. Santana, Quinn is _not _Lily. I understand that she broke your heart-"

"Shut up." Her heart was hammering and her mind had gone blank as old memories flooded back. They pressed at her throat and twisted in her chest as her stomach turned. She felt her

"No. I understand that she hurt you, and you're scared."

"Don't talk about it."

"Rachel" Brittany bit her lip but the small brunette held up a hand to stop them

"I get it. You're scared, and you don't want to trust anyone again because you trusted her and it ended badly. But Quinn is not Lily, and she's a good person, and you hurt her." Santana bit back the tears pressing at her eyes, refusing to look anywhere other than at the coffee table as Rachel continued "I understand that you want to just go through life with your protective shell and not let anybody in, like you have ever since Lily hurt you, but Quinn has got under your shell and you can't just brush her off because it's inconvenient for you to...to _feel _something! You need to stop pushing people away, like Quinn, because you care about them too much or whatever's going on in your head!"

"That's bullshit, Rach! You're just talking shit, if that was the case then what about all the girls since Lily?" she shrugged "Like Tina? If you're just going to judge and try to make me feel guilty then just leave." She stood up and stormed through to the bedroom, and Rachel sighed heavily.

"Okay. So we did well with keeping calm and not shouting at her" Brittany rolled her eyes and Rachel dropped her head into her hands

"I know. I know, I'm sorry. I couldn't help it. I'm just gonna go" she stood up and walked to the bedroom, pushing the door open slightly "I'm sorry, San. I didn't mean to yell at you. I'm gonna go but Brittany will stay if you want. It was really good to see you again, I'm sorry."

She left the apartment biting her lip, but Brittany remained sat on the couch. She cleared up the rest of the mess, putting the dirty clothes in the washer and cleaning the plates while she waited for Santana. Eventually the girl appeared, stepping cautiously from the bedroom, and Brittany smiled gently as the girl sat beside her on the couch. "Hey" she smiled, and Santana looked up slowly to meet the girl's bright blue eyes "Come here" she held out her arms and Santana fell into them with a heavy sigh.

They sat for a while, Brittany rubbing gentle circles on her back. Eventually Santana pulled away, flicking the TV on to America's Next Top Model, and they watched in silence for a while, occasionally giggling at the programme. Somewhere during the programme, Santana reached across to take Brittany's hand, interlinking their fingers. Brittany glanced down at their hands, her eyes flickering to the brunette's placid face, before squeezing her hand and turning her attention back to the TV.

Eventually, in the early hours of the morning, Santana fell to sleep, and Brittany carried her through into the bedroom, tucking her in before leaving the apartment.

-ooOoo-

"Hey Tina?"

"Hi. Is that Santana?" she could almost hear the girl frowning.

"Yes. Um, I was thinking...would you maybe, like, if we could...I mean maybe we could, do you want to...do something?"

"I'm sorry?"

She took a deep breath "Do you maybe want to get drinks this week? Maybe Wednesday?" she gulped as she was greeted by a bemused silence

"Um..okay yeah." She sounded unsure, before taking a breath and grinning "Yeah, sure. It'd be nice to see you. How about the bar near my place, around seven?"

"Sounds perfect, see you then." She exhaled slowly, trying to quash the sick feeling in her stomach before she shook the feeling away with a small smile. She placed her phone gently on the coffee table, standing and stretching as she looked around the apartment. _Its clean. How had that happened?_ She stared around as if she was seeing it for the first time, before gazing out of the window with a smile.

-ooOoo-

"Tina! Oh my _God_, it's been _so long_!" She lunged at the girl, pulling her into a tight hug, and Tina stood in shock, her arms pinned to her side as Santana rocked her from side to side.

"Hey...Santana. How long have you been here?" She raised a curious eyebrow as she sat on the stool next to the girl

"About an hour and a half" Santana grinned, and Tina nodded

"I thought as much. So how are you?"

"I'm okay thank you how are you?" she smiled again and Tina chuckled

"I'm great, although I have to ask," she frowned slightly "Why did you invite me here?"

"Um...I miss you." Santana replied, staring into her glass, her face docile

"No you don't" Tina shook her head with a small smile "I don't mean to be rude, but if you missed me you would have missed me since August. Like, you don't suddenly miss someone after seven months of not seeing them."

Santana frowned "Maybe I missed you all along I just didn't dare say so?" she smiled knowingly and Tina laughed, rolling her eyes

"Maybe, but I don't think that's the case." She laughed and ordered a drink as Santana watched her with a puzzled frown "Something on your mind?"

"Have you always been this smart?" her lip curled and Tina glanced at her as she accepted her drink and change

"No, but you haven't always been this easy to read."

"Oh." They sat in silence for a few moments until Tina spoke up again

"So why _did_ you want to see me?" she asked kindly, looking up at Santana with a raised eyebrow, and Santana frowned

"I don't know. Maybe just to talk?"

"Okay" Tina nodded before smiling "That's cool then."

They talked easily for another hour, catching up on the last few months, reminiscing, and joking and laughing. Tina asked about Santana's job, and she told stories of the kids and the disasters she had had, while Tina filled in on the lives of her family and friends that Santana had known. Their laughter died down into silence, and Tina glanced subtly at the other girl, whose face was suddenly sullen and thoughtful.

"Are you okay?" she frowned, leaning in to the Latina, and Santana looked up with a casual smile, but Tina noted that her eyes looked sad. Santana felt empty, and alone. She licked her lips slowly, glancing down as Tina chewed her lip thoughtfully. She leaned forward to close the gap between them, frowning as her lips met Tina's now unfamiliar ones.

The shorter girl pulled back with a start, wide-eyed, and Santana immediately pulled back and turned to look away. She stared awkwardly ahead at the row of bottles on the bar as Tina stared wordlessly, shifting to turn and face the bar once again. She glanced sidelong at Santana, as the other girl dropped her head into her hands.

"I'm _so sorry._ I have _no _idea why I did that! I'm sorry" she cringed with embarrassment, her head still resting in her hands as she stared down at the wooden bar, and Tina took a breath

"Santana, we're not going to…do that. And you know that. You didn't come here for rebound sex or whatever…" she swallowed with embarrassment and Santana nodded furiously

"I know. Completely ignore that. I'm sorry."

"So...I think that gives me the right to ask, what's going on?"

Santana thought about lying, but sighed when she realised it was pointless. Tina wasn't stupid, and she'd get it out of her eventually "There's this girl." This spoke in a low voice, staring down sadly, and Tina nodded knowingly

"Okay."

"And...we were dating and stuff; I liked her, she liked me. We weren't exclusive or anything, but then we started arguing and she completely freaked out one day and left and said she just wanted me out of her life."

"Okay" she smiled patiently and Santana turned to look at her with a sigh

"Rachel said I pushed her away. Did I push her away?"

"I don't know, Santana. How could I?"

"I don't know, you're my ex I thought you might help" she shrugged and Tina rolled her eyes

"Okay, so Rachel said you pushed her away. Do _you _think you pushed her away?"

"I don't know. Did I push_ you_ away?" she frowned

"No. I didn't give you chance to."

Santana raised an eyebrow questioningly "…I don't get it."

"Maybe if we hadn't broken up when we did, you might have pushed me away. But I left before you could,_ if_ you would have." Tina replied with a shrug

"Oh" Santana nodded knowingly, before frowning again "No, what, what do you mean?"

"Okay. You didn't push me away because I didn't let you, I left too soon. But even if I hadn't, and we had stayed together, I don't think you would have pushed me away anyway. Because...you didn't love me." Tina shrugged simply "It didn't exactly upset me, and it wasn't unrequited love on my part or anything. It was just a fact that you didn't. And probably wouldn't, no matter how long we were together."

"That's coz I don't _do _love. I never have." Santana insisted confidently but Tina raised her eyebrows questioningly

"We both know that's not true. You _did _love."

"Yeah, and I got burned."

"Does she know about that?"

"No."

"I see. So okay, yes you got burned. But I think you knew you didn't love me, and knew I didn't love you. I wasn't too close for comfort, so you didn't _need_ to push me away, you know?"

"Right."

"So...you weren't _that _emotionally invested in our relationship. And I wasn't really either, so you weren't afraid of getting hurt. You didn't care enough to be vulnerable" she shrugged, and Santana suddenly looked apologetic

"I'm sorry. That must have sucked for you." She frowned, and Tina tilted her head thoughtfully

"Maybe a little. My girlfriend didn't care enough about me to worry emotionally, kinda sucked." She nodded and Santana averted her eyes, frowning guiltily at the bar "But I don't know; I knew we were never going to get married and become the Family Von Trapp or anything. So I just accepted it, until I decided it was time to stop kidding around in a relationship that was going nowhere. So I just broke it off." she shrugged and Santana looked up at her again

"I'm sorry. I really am." Santana bit her lip but Tina shook her head

"It's not a big deal anymore. But now you _are _pushing someone away."

"Apparently."

Tina shrugged "Honestly, if I had loved you, it would have completely broken me. But thankfully I knew what I was getting myself in for. Did she?"

"I guess she obviously did not." Santana sighed, biting her lip thoughtfully

"Do you love her?"

"No! I barely even liked her half the time!" Santana protested, and Tina smirked

"Are you lying?"

"No."

"Okay then. So, this girl has obviously got under your skin." Tina shrugged "Are you going to do something about it?"

"She said she doesn't want to see me."

"And you're gonna let that stop you?" Tina raised an unimpressed eyebrow "Wow, you've changed."


	31. Red Socks and Bananas

Santana sat staring at the phone in her hands for a few moments before pressing the first number. Her heart was pounding and her fingers felt cold and numb. She kept tapping out numbers as her head was swimming, typing the familiar order of keys. A lump jerked into her throat and her hand tensed involuntary. She dropped the phone onto the coffee table, resting her elbows on her knees and dropping her head into her palms with a groan. She flopped back into the sofa, staring up at the ceiling with a sigh.

She reached for the phone again, staring at the number on the screen. She hit cancel and slid it back into her pocket, crossing to the bedroom. She reached into the drawer for pyjamas, pulling out a vest top and a pair of bottoms. She straightened up and stared down at the bottoms in her hand, giving a small smile as she gazed at the pattern.

-ooOoo-

"_Oh my God,_ what_ are you wearing?" Santana frowned, pausing her xbox game to turn to the blonde, wide-eyed as Quinn came wandering out of the bathroom, her hair flicking droplets of water all over the floor_

"_I got them for Christmas" Quinn grinned, pulling at the fabric and twirling into the living room_

"_What even_ is_ that pattern?" she reached out and grabbed the fabric in her fist, pulling the squealing blonde towards her_

"_Banana Man!" Quinn thrust her crotch forward, shoving the fabric under Santana's nose with a giggle_

"_You are such a dork!" Santana laughed, and Quinn gasped_

"_How dare you! I'm not a dork, I'm a superhero!" She stood with her fists resting on her hips, her chest thrust forward and her legs splayed, jutting her jaw forwards in a cheesy grin_

"_Well,_ _I feel like I'm in safe hands" Santana said with a sarcastic eye roll, and Quinn narrowed her eyes, glaring at the giggling brunette. She sprang up onto the couch with a swift jump, landing at the other girl's feet and staring down at her with a smirk_

"_You can be my pet crow? Seems fitting." She grinned sweetly and Santana raised an eyebrow, glaring at the girl before reaching around the girl, pulling so her legs buckled and she fell down onto the couch. Quinn giggled as Santana pounced on her, digging her fingers into the blonde's ribs, who squirmed away in protest, giggling furiously "Okay, okay! I'm sorry! Stop, I'm sorry! Stop!"_

_Santana pulled back and Quinn pouted, before the brunette leaned in, giving the girl a gentle kiss. "I'm sorry" she smiled and Quinn twisted her hands up into the other girl's hair with a smile_

"_Good. You _should_ be." She smirked and Santana began to roll her eyes, but Quinn pulled her back down into another, much longer kiss. Santana pulled away a few minutes later, brushing the girl off her_

"_Okay, now stop distracting me. I needs to finish getting my kart on, _Banana Girl_." She pushed the petulant blonde away, resuming her game. Quinn watched for the next few moments, until Santana swore loudly, and the blonde frowned, clueless_

"_Huh? What happened?" she raised an eyebrow and Santana huffed_

"_I drove into a banana skin" she groaned as the game resumed, and Quinn smirked_

"_Ha! Serves you right; there's some ironic karma for you." She laughed as she stood up from the couch, dodging away and Santana reached out to slap her behind_

"_You're an asshole!" she pouted, and Quinn leaned over the back of the couch, pulling the brunette's head back to look up at her._

"_I'm _your_ asshole" she grinned sweetly, leaning down to give the girl an upside-down kiss before wandering off to the kitchen._

-ooOoo-

Santana swallowed, attempting to push the memory away, but it was too late. Moments came flooding back; the smell of Quinn's cooking, the smell of Quinn, the sound of her laugh, all of their stupid in-jokes, and all of the moments laid wrapped around each other in the dark. She swallowed again, reaching into her pocket and pulling her phone out. She dialled urgently, immediately pressing call. It rang. And rang.

_Hey, this is Quinn! Please leave a message, I'm- _ARGH! San, shh!_ Yes, please leave a message!_

She paused as the sound of the blonde's voice sunk in, remembering the moment she had pounced on the girl, soaking wet from her shower and not realising that Quinn was recording a new outgoing message. She swallowed again, licking her dry lips as she began to speak

"Hey Quinn. I don't' know if you're there and just screening my call, but if you are then that's fine. I wouldn't want to talk to me either. It's been like five weeks, and I miss you. I miss you a lot. I dunno, nothing's the same without you. I'd really love it if you could call me. I'm sorr-"

"Santana?" She sounded wary, and Santana frowned

"Quinn! Hi." The surprise registered in her voice, and Quinn frowned at the familiar sound

"What do you want?"

"I just, I wanted to talk."

"Why?" she deadpanned, emotionless

"Because I'm sorry."

"I don't care." She swallowed "Please don't call again."

She hung up, and Santana sighed heavily, before pocketing the phone and running out of the apartment building, forgetting the pyjamas still in her hand.

-ooOoo-

"Santana?"

"Hey, Rach. Can I come in?" She walked straight past the short brunette and into the apartment, waving at a slightly alarmed Jess in the kitchen

"Yes, of course. Why? Are you okay? I'm so sorry for yelling at you!" Rachel closed the door as she rambled, and turned to Santana with an apologetic look, but Santana waved it off

"No, it's fine, I needed it." She began to pace back and forth, and Jess looked guilty

"I'm sorry too"

"No, it's fine! I needed it!" Santana replied forcefully, and the girls nodded silently as Brittany emerged from the bedroom, towel drying her hair

"Oh, hey San. Is everything okay? What's that?" she frowned at the fabric in her hand and Santana looked down as if she were seeing them for the first time

"Oh God." She threw the bottoms onto the couch as she shook her head "Never mind. No, I'm not okay. I need a plan guys, you have to help me!" She glanced between them all, still pacing up and down, and Brittany frowned as she perched on the arm of the chair

"Okay, what's going on? We've barely seen you in weeks and now there's just people asking lots of questions and I'm not coping with this!" Jess scowled in confusion and Santana stopped her pacing for a moment to look at the girl

"I'm an ass. You guys were right. I need her back. Now." She said forcefully, and began to pace again, and Jess nodded

"Okay, have you tried calling her?" Rachel frowned

"Yes. Well. At first she wouldn't answer; then she answered and just told me to leave her alone." She sighed, slumping down on the couch, and Brittany immediately passed her a box of tissues.

"Have you spoken since?" Rachel looked at her earnestly and she rolled her eyes

"It was two hours ago, Rachel!" Santana replied impatiently, and the girl nodded, chastised

"Well, are you going to try again?" Brittany asked, and Santana dropped her head into her hands

"I don't know! She won't talk to me, I can't force her!"

"Yeah, if only there were a public place where you knew she would be almost every day where you could go to see her, where she would be forced to stay and listen. If only." Jess deadpanned, and Santana slowly raised her head to look at her, mouth hanging open slightly

"Could I though? Just go in and like...force myself on her?" She bit her lip, and Jess raised an eyebrow at her phrasing

"Yes." Brittany nodded confidently

"Do you think I could?" she glanced to Jess, who shrugged

"Yeah. You'll have a lot of making up to do though" Jess nodded with a shrug, thinking of how depressed Quinn had been lately, and hoping for a happy reunion while Santana turned to Rachel with hopeful eyes

Rachel squirmed under the girls' expectant stares, biting her lip "I think you can. Although, don't hate me for this…but if she tells you to leave, I'd leave." The other girls looked at her in protest, but she held her hands up in defence "No, I'm sorry but it's true. San I love you, and I agree that you should be doing everything in your power to get her back. And yes, I saw how shitty you were without her. But she was pretty shitty without you, too. You hurt her, and you were selfish and you can't just storm in and try to make it better. You have to respect her boundaries too." She shrugged and Santana nodded guiltily

"I know. Ugh, I know, I know. Oh God, this sucks! Why am I such an asshole?" she raged for a moment before taking a deep breath

"Well, you got yourself into this mess." Rachel shrugged with a teasing smile, and Santana rolled her eyes in agreement

Jess suddenly grinned "Now it's time to get yourself out."

-ooOoo-

She swallowed before pushing the door open, taking a deep breath as the familiar smell of baking hit her. Her eyes fell on the blonde behind the counter and she felt her throat constrict and her stomach flutter as she stepped forward.

"Hi"

"Please leave" she didn't look up, and Santana ignored her. She could hear the blood gushing in her ears as she stepped forward, taking a deep breath

"There's a birthday this week?" she bit her lip, but Quinn shook her head

"Then please find another baker."

"Okay then." She sighed "Okay, you don't have to talk to me; you don't even have to listen. But I'm going to stand here and talk anyway." Quinn didn't reply, and Santana placed a small bag on the counter, and she couldn't help but glance down at its contents, and saw that it was filled with blue-wrapped chocolates. "I hate Dreams. They're too sweet. I hate them. But..." she gulped "But more than hating Dreams…I hate that I have no one to eat the Dreams for me. I hate that there's no one to write me little messages on the bathroom mirror, or leave notes on my fridge, or make the bed when I don't. I need you to do those things, and everything else."

"Santana it's too late. Please leave"

"I can't."

"Yes you can, you just won't. Because you're stubborn." Quinn stared down at the countertop and Santana swallowed

"Yes. I am. I am stubborn and I am stupid, and I don't realize things until it's too late. But, I physically can't. Because there is this feeling in my chest that just refuses to go away, and I've tried almost _everything_. But I haven't tried this. And this is why the feeling won't go away. You're right I'm not making sense. I'm sorry, but no, I can't. Because I miss you, and I need you."

"But you're never going to love me?" _God-shit-fucking-damn-it._ "I don't care, Santana. I told you, just _please_ stay away from me."

"But, Quinn, please. I just, I miss you so badly...it's like there just this giant gaping hole in my chest."

"Well" she swallowed and turned her back "you should have thought of that." Quinn frowned and Santana sighed, defeated. She reached down into her bag and pulled out another box, placing it wordlessly on the counter and exiting the shop. Quinn crossed swiftly to the kitchen, sitting down at the table with her head in her hands as she began to cry tears of sad frustration. She only allowed herself to wallow for a few moments, before steeling her resolve with a deep breath. She wiped her eyes and checked her make up in the small mirror, her eyes falling on the photo stuck to the frame, plucking it down as she bit her lip, her eyes travelling over the shiny surface of the paper.

-ooOoo-

"_Why are we here?" Santana groaned as Quinn grinned, pulling her by the hand _

"_Come on or we'll get left behind!" they sped up to join the other three girls again, as Brittany and Jess posed for Rachel and her camera. Brittany wrapped her arms around Jess' waist, pulling her into the air and swinging her laughing towards the shortest girl_

"_Little blurry, but that's an awesome shot!" Rachel giggled, showing them the photo and Jess shook her head with a grin_

"_You're a dork!"_

"_Why are we here?" Santana pouted "It's so dirty!" she frowned down at the ground and Quinn smirked_

"_Since when has that been your problem?" she mumbled, and Santana flushed, thankful no one had heard the girl._

_Rachel rolled her eyes "We're here for the _ducks_, Santana!" she glared, and Brittany grinned_

"_Ducks!" she jumped up and down excitedly, and Jess smirked at Santana_

"_Yup. And are _you _going to try and deny her the ducks?" Quinn raised an eyebrow expectantly at Santana, and she sighed_

"_God, no."_

"_Like kicking a puppy" Quinn shook her head knowingly and Santana glared as they reached the small pond. Rachel immediately handed Brittany the loaf of bread, and she tore it into chunk, passing one to each of the girls. Jess, Brittany, Rachel and Quinn began to rip up the bread into small pieces, scattering it into the water. Santana ripped the bread in half, throwing the first chunk straight in and the ducks began to peck at it quickly "What are you _doing_? You're supposed to rip it up!" Quinn protested with a laugh_

_Santana shrugged defensively "They're eating it, aren't they?" and the blonde shook her head, rolling her eyes as she continued to shred her chunk of bread. Santana threw her next chunk, and Quinn winced, watching uneasily as the bread arced high into the air. They all watched uneasily as it sailed down toward the surface of the pond, and Santana's eyes widened comically as it promptly collided with an unsuspecting duck. Brittany gasped in horror as the duck sank under the surface of the water, leaving rings to spread across the pond. Rachel grimaced and Jess bit her lip, as they all stared at the centre of the ripples, waiting tensely. Quinn's arm jerked out to slap Santana's side_

"_I _told_ you so! Haven't you ever seen About A Boy?" she demanded, staring into the water, and Santana frowned_

"_Um, _no_?" she replied, as if that were obvious_

"_I can't believe you've killed a duck!" Quinn brought her hands to her face, covering her eyes with a small groan, "Oh God. Oh God."_

_Santana grabbed her arm with a grin "No, look! It's back! It's alive!" the girls gave a small cheer, before shaking their heads at Santana, who shifted guiltily._

_When all of the bread was gone, they began to head over the grass back to the path. Brittany was bouncing along with a grin, and Jess was giggling at the girl's enthusiasm. Rachel was still avidly photographing them all, grabbing random girls and pulling them into poses, passing the camera around to get shots of all of them. Santana took Quinn's gloved hand in her own, and they walked along in content silence, until suddenly the blonde shrieked, tugging on her arm._

"_What's wrong?" she turned with a frown to see Quinn stood on one leg, her wellington boot stuck deep in the mood a few paces back, and mud covering the bottom of her sock, a look of disgusted shock on her face._

_Santana bit back a grin as the other girls began to laugh, and Quinn pouted through her grin "Why is it always _me_?" she whined, and Santana stepped back to pick up the boot. As she let go of the blonde, Quinn immediately over-balanced once again, screaming as her foot plunged back into the mud, and Santana whirled around in shock as she pulled it back out "Santana!" _

"_I'm sorry! I thought you were balanced! I'm sorry!" she laughed through her apologies and Quinn glared, rolling her eyes as she grabbed Santana's arm again. The brunette placed the boot on the ground, but Quinn glared at her_

"_Really? I can't put my foot in there _now_!"_

"_Why not?" Brittany frowned as Rachel took a sneaky photo of the two girls, who were slowly sinking down now almost knee-deep in the mud_

"_Because I'll get dirt all inside my boot and I'll have to walk with mood going all through my toes and everything!" Quinn squirmed and Jess nodded heartily in agreement_

"_Well then enjoy playing scarecrow to the ducks" Santana smirked "What else are you going to do?" she shrugged ad Quinn raised an eyebrow_

"_This is _your _fault! What are _you_ going to do?" she looked expectantly at the brunette, who sighed dramatically before crouching in front of her "_Thank_ you!" she took the boot from Santana and climbed up onto her back with a grin, placing a soft kiss to the exposed skin at the bottom of her neck, before Santana began to wade through the mud again._

"_I hate you _so much_ right now!" Santana laughed, and Rachel spun round to snap a few photos of the girls before Santana threatened to shove the lens into an uncomfortable crevice. Rachel gazed warily before increasing her speed as they reached the path, putting as much space between her and the Latina as possible._

-ooOoo-

She brushed the thin layer of dust with her thumb as she looked down at the photo; from her muddy red sock (which had actually turned out to be Santana's, and irreversibly damaged) to her own bright, grinning face; from the mud on Santana's jacket where the dirt-caked boot in Quinn's hand had rubbed off, and to the brunette's face, bright red with exertion but grinning bashfully despite herself.

Quinn smiled regretfully at the photo, before sticking it back up quickly, taking a deep breath and re-entering the shop floor. It was then that she noticed the large, familiar box on the counter, with a bright orange post-it note stuck on top, and felt the tears threatening behind her eyes once again. She stepped up to the counter, pulling the note off the box with a shaking hand.

**Cupcake Girl  
>These will taste like shit, so I'm sorry.<br>My bakery teacher only gave me one lesson.  
>I miss you. And I'm sorry. And I would<br>like it if I could see you soon, please?**

**Love, Your Sorry Santana xxxxx**

She turned and stuck the note on the notice board behind her, turning back to the box before reaching back and ripping it off again, screwing it into a tight ball and throwing it in the direction of the kitchen. It landed barely two feet away and she sighed, glad no one had seen such a horrific throw, before turning back to the box. She lifted the lid impatiently, staring down at the contents. There were eight cupcakes in the box, red velvet with white frosting and black lettering, spelling the words 'I'm Sorry', with a music note on the last cupcake. She bit her lip as she raised her eyes to the ceiling, her eyelashes fluttering as she blinked back heavy tears.

She closed the lid of the box quickly, refusing to look at it as she turned off the lights in the shop and locked up, before starting to walk up the street, leaving the box sat on the counter. She walked quickly up the street, attempting to swallow the lump in her throat. Her chest felt tight and her heart was hammering as she let herself in to her apartment, closing the door quietly behind her. She listened to the silent apartment for a moment, before turning and resting her back against the door. Her tongue darted out to lick her dry lips as she took a breath, "San?" she called quietly, but there was no answer, only the echo of her silent apartment.

She pulled out her phone as she slumped onto the sofa, laying back as she started tapping out a text. She pressed send and stared up at the ceiling, throwing the phone onto the coffee table as tears caught in her throat. She wiped away the first few tears before giving in and allowing them to cascade down her face. She stayed on the sofa for the rest of the night, only getting up to collect her pillow and blanket from the bedroom, before returning to her usual spot.

-ooOoo-

Santana pulled out her phone, unable to quash the small flutter of excitement as it vibrated in her pocket. The excitement grew as she saw the name, and opened the text urgently, before her eyes scanned the words and she sighed.

**No. I can't.**

There were no kisses, no smileys, no CG at the end; nothing. None of the usual quirks Quinn would leave her in texts. But this wasn't the usual. She threw the phone onto the coffee table, lying back on the sofa with a sigh. Her chest heaved as tears caught in her throat and she didn't even attempt to hold them back as they finally cascaded down her cheeks. She lay on the sofa for the rest of the night, laid alone in the darkness until she finally drifted off to sleep.

-ooOoo-

"Hey Q!" Quinn glanced up as the girls entered, trying to ignore the small flutter of hope in her chest, that was quickly extinguished as her eyes fell on the three girls

"Hey, how are you guys?"

"Not so bad, thank you very much" Rachel beamed back, and Brittany smiled expectantly. Quinn reached below the counter and pulled out a coconut cake, passing it over quickly.

"Are you coming to the movies tonight?" Jess raised her eyebrows hopefully and Quinn frowned

"To see what?"

"That new Ashton Kutcher one." Rachel smiled and Brittany rolled her eyes

"The new Natalie Portman one." She replied, and Jess winked

"Then yes. It looks good, I look forward to it!" she giggled and they all beamed back at her

"We're going at like six-thirty? That okay?" Brittany smiled and she nodded enthusiastically before the girls said their goodbyes and left the bakery. Quinn glanced under the counter at the white box, sighing before she picked it up and carried it through to the kitchen. She pressed down on the pedal of the bin, hovering above it before giving in and turning to place the box on the counter with a sigh.


	32. No Strings Attached

_If you don't make it back for my wedding I'll kill you._

Oh God. I cannot cope with this. This film is awesome, but I'm just sat watching the figures because I can't make out details anymore, they're too blurry. I am not crying at an Ashton Kutcher film. Dear God, don't let Jess or Rachel look at me right now. Oh, look at Natalie, going after the guy she loves. Ugh, films suck. I appreciate that the girls were trying to get me out of the house, but I'm watching a broken hearted Natalie Portman giving up on love right now. And this isn't exactly helping.

Surely taking your recently-sort-of-dumped friend to see a film about a friends-with-benefits situation isn't the best idea? Surely. Oh no, Ashton Kutcher don't get with that girl! She's hot, but Portman loves you! Anyway. Is there a way of subtly wiping teary eyes; if I attract attention they'll see I'm crying, and although I love their support, I can't deal with the pity right now. This film is breaking my heart. Those donut holes look good though. Oh Jesus.

Okay, this is ridiculous. I was doing _so well_. I was so proud of myself; I was moving on, getting over Santana. Apart from the part where I wasn't_ really_ getting over Santana, I was just_ lying_ about getting over Santana. But I was getting really good at_ that_ bit! And now she just waltzes back in with her phone calls and her stupid cupcakes that probably _do _taste like shit because she's not a very good cook, apart from paella! And yeah, fine, maybe I wasn't really getting over it that well, but at least I was trying, and I didn't have her messing with my head, and how is this fair? It's not, nothing's ever fair; the nice people turn out to be assholes, and they'll happily carry you through mud after almost committing duck homicide but they won't call you their girlfriend.

God, Ashton Kutcher, I feel your pain! Although to be fair, Natalie Portman didn't sing the world's most depressing song to you. I hate not knowing what to do. I feel like I should just stone cold hate her. I know I should just stone cold hate her, actually. But then she's there, with her stupid cupcakes and sweet apologies and notes and life is _not _that simple. I want to hate her; I _so badly_ want to hate her. And tell her to shove her cupcakes, and stay away from me. But I miss her. More than I hate her, I miss her. This is ridiculous!

Oh, Natalie's getting out of the car. Ashton looks kind of sad.

_I hurt you, I'm sorry. I don't know why I wasted so much time pretending I didn't care. I guess I just...didn't want to feel like this. It hurts. But I love you, I'm totally completely in love with you and I don't care if it's too late, I'm telling you anyway. Please say something!_

_Wait. You should know...that if you come any closer...I'm not letting you go._

Oh and then the beautiful music builds and they fall into each other's arms while my heart falls out of my chest. Christ. I know I'm supposed to feel bitter and be all 'happy endings never happen' and 'it's fiction' and all that crap. But I can't find the conviction to lie. I miss Santana. I want a happy ending.

-ooOoo-

**I'll be honest, when the Jess rang today and asked if I wanted to go to the movies; it did seem a little weird. But, if Rachel and Brittany are at work, fair enough. I have to have some sort of social life sometime. And Quinn clearly doesn't want to see me, or talk to me, or listen to me, or acknowledge my existence ever again ever. Which is awesome. So, it's nice to see Jess. Hang out. Go to the movies. Life is great, and everything is easy and I am carefree.**

**Okay I'm not coping very well. I mean, I'm sat watching a film about a guy and a girl who are clearly in love, but pretending that they're not. And he took her on a really sweet date, and gave her carrots because she said no flowers, and that's such a Quinn thing to do, and this film sucks. I hate this film. I hate Ashton Kutcher and his stupid happy face. I hate Natalie Portman and her beautiful face. And I hate her for screwing over Ashton, because let me tell you Natalie, once you've fucked them over, they don't just accept apologies! But this is a film, so he probably will.**

**Although, as Natalie said like...about four hours ago, at the start of this traumatic heart-wrenching ordeal they're passing off as a film, "If we were in a relationship I'd become a really scary version of myself." And ain't that the truth. People just become like...crazy, when they're in relationships. Like, Quinn would be clingy or I'd be jealous, or we'd resent each other or play mind games or..or something, and she'd hate me even more. At least watching two people cry because they're heart-broken is a slight comfort. Does that make me a bad person? Oh well, schadenfreude and all that. Except even watching other heart-broken people won't banish this dull throbbing feeling in my chest. I almost wish I'd said no, now. Because I don't really want to be here. I want to run away.**

**Except where would I run to? Home? Where I'm pretty sure Jess got herself a key cut for, because damn, that girl is sly. So she'd probably just appear and let herself in like last week. Let's face it, I hate almost every other place in New York right now. I can't go to any parks, because of that time I nearly killed a duck, no movie theatres because of our first date, I can't get a cupcake, hotdog, ice cream. Jesus, heartbreak really shuts down your life. And menu. Because like, I ate lots of food with Quinn, and now I can't eat any of those foods, because eating them with her was just more fun. There's only one place I'd like to be, and God knows I'm not welcome now.**

**Woah, what the fuck is he doing? Who's this dorky chick? Why is he kissing her? Maybe I should have paid more attention to this film. Either way, he doesn't like her like he likes Natalie Portman. Oh, she's going back for him, that's sweet. Oh Jesus, I'm crying. Fuck. I almost miss those five weeks of no tears, coz apparently now I've opened the flood gates. Fuck. Damn it, has Jess noticed? Probably, that girl sees everything. I wonder if I should keep fighting for Quinn. I mean, I don't know. We've spoken since...although we're still not exactly under good terms. But if I just leave her alone, maybe we could be friends again one day. Except I miss her. God, I'm so pathetic. **

**The thing is though, if we **_**do**_** become friends again one day…I might roll around in meat and throw myself to some wild dogs. Because the idea of being just friends with Quinn makes me want to vomit. I can't be just friends with her. I can do it fine with Tina, but I wouldn't with Quinn. So I can either run the risk of losing her forever, or maybe, possibly, if I'm lucky, one day have to live with being 'just friends'. God, I suck. I am just an asshole.**

"**Hey, San?" Why is Jess staring at me like that, has she noticed I'm crying?**

"**Yeah?" Oh God she has. Sympathetic hand on knee, soothing stroking of the arm. Fuck. Think of an excuse.**

"**You know...you're really pretty...and...it's just us. I mean...no one would have to know?" Know what? Why is she leaning towards me? What's she doing? FUCK. Hell no! Jess did _not_ just fucking kiss me.**

"**Jess, what are you _doing_?" how can she act so casual about that?**

"**What? No one would know; our little secret?" Did she just wink? What the_ fuck_?**

"**But...no!"**

"**Why?"**

"**You love Brittany! And I lov-" OH YOU SNEAKY BITCH "Oh, you sneaky bitch!"**

"**Ha! I knew it!" and now she's looking smug and clapping her hands like Rachel does and I want to vomit. Fuck. "My bad. Brittany put me up to it, don't worry."**

"**I hate you."**

"**You love Quinn. Now that you've accepted it, maybe you'll step up your game."**

**Well. This is just great. I don't feel like a douche at all. Jesus...she's right though. I do. Which means I definitely need to try something more drastic. God, Natalie Portman I feel your pain! Although, to be fair, you're a film character and you can probably just apologize and it will all go away. I almost hope Ashton tells her to fuck off. I hate not knowing what to do. I feel like I should just leave her alone, like she told me to, and let her get on with her life. I know I should just leave her alone, like she told me to, and let her get on with her life, actually. But then, she's not around, and I miss having her around. With her cute cupcakes, and that thing she does as she's waking up, and the notes she leaves and I just miss her, and everything about her. But life is **_**not**_** that simple. I want to leave her; I **_**so badly**_** want to just leave her alone. But I can't. I miss her too much, and even more than I want to leave her alone, I just want her back.**

**Oh, Natalie's getting out of the car. Ashton looks kind of sad. **

_**I hurt you, I'm sorry. I don't know why I wasted so much time pretending I didn't care. I guess I just...didn't want to feel like this. It hurts. But I love you, I'm totally completely in love with you and I don't care if it's too late, I'm telling you anyway. Please say something!**_

_**Wait. You should know...that if you come any closer...I'm not letting you go.**_

**Oh and then the beautiful music builds and they fall into each other's arms while my heart falls out of my chest. Christ. I know I'm supposed to feel bitter and be all 'happy endings never happen' and 'it's fiction' and all that crap. But I can't find the conviction to lie. I miss Quinn. I want a happy ending.**

-ooOoo-

"Hey, lovely!"

Jess' grin is just beautiful. Like, if there's ever a power cut, I'm pretty sure we could – I mean,_ I_ could – just go to their apartment and we'd have enough light just from her, Brittany and Rachel and their hundred mega-watt smiles.

"Hey, how are you?"

I'm feeling good today, it has to be said. I've recovered from the film, and so I should have seeing it was almost a week ago, although my recovery was an embarrassingly long one. But you know, breaking down halfway through a movie really does take it out of you. Thankfully Santana hasn't tried to contact me again. And I mean that. Thankfully. I'm very glad she hasn't.

"I'm not so bad, you?"

Okay so maybe it would have been nice if she'd called again. I know I shouldn't want that, but I can't help it. I miss hearing her voice, but I'm pretty sure my neighbours can hear me calling for her when I get home, so I'm starting to look like a crazy person. But she hasn't even tried to contact me again. So clearly she didn't feel _that _remorseful. She was probably bored and horny, and wanted to see me, so she came and apologized. Then she probably woke up the next day and immediately regretted it, thanking God that I hadn't accepted her apology. Let's face it, this is Santana. Her mind doesn't work like a normal person's. She doesn't do compassion. She didn't follow through with a relationship, and now she isn't following through with her apologies.

"I'm great! What's up?" I grin back at her, because that smile is contagious.

"Do you have coconut cakes? Brittany will be home in like an hour, and she sent me a text at lunch saying she was having a hard time so I was thinking of getting her a couple. Try to cheer her up a bit." Oh, that's adorable. God, they're so cute I want to cry. I'm probably going to cry. It doesn't really take much these days.

"That's so sweet! Yes, how many do you want? You can have them all."

"No, only like…maybe six? Thanks" I serve the cakes with a smile, but my mind is just stuck on the photo by the mirror. I should take it down. I need to take it down. Maybe give it back to Santana, show her what she's missing. Ooh, that reminds me!

"Um, I still have some of Santana's stuff…" I know this is immature. But I cannot face her alone again. I'll either collapse, or cry, or vomit, or pass out. And I've lost enough dignity in this situation already.

"Okay…"

"Do you think you'd come with me to return it?" Even if she says no, I could always just get one of the girls to give her it. But I feel like I should do it. Like, Sam keeps talking about closure and shit, so maybe that's what closure he's talking about. Or at the very least, I can tell him I saw her and he'll think I've got closure and stop telling me to get closure. The word _closure _has no meaning anymore.

"Yeah, of course. When do you wanna go?" Thank Christ.

"Tomorrow night?"

"Perfect. I'll meet you from work?"

"Awesome." And then she's gone. So tonight I'd better collect Santana's stuff from the closet. Put them in a bag. Give back all the photos and things, too. Get them out of my apartment. Out of my life. Get some closure.

-ooOoo-

Seriously, did Santana have _any_ stuff left at her place? Like, I've already got all of her stuff from the back of the closet, but now I'm having to go through every drawer in the apartment, because her stuff is everywhere. It's so typical; nothing is ever simple with Santana! She couldn't just have all of her stuff in one drawer; it has to be scattered all over my apartment! Her hoody in the closet, four of her books stacked by the bed, her bubble bath in the cabinet, her films by the TV, even her glasses are on the bedside table! I've packed most of her stuff already, and I'm proud of how well I've held up.

I haven't cried at all. I've barely cried at all. I've cried a little. Like, ever since I got her stuff from the closet. And it's only...an hour later. But they're tears of anger. And frustration. And hatred...and...rage...and...chest-crushing sadness. Okay, this is ridiculous. Come on, Quinn, time to dry your tears and grow a backbone. Yes, that is what I will do. I will find a tissue...and there are no tissues. And now I'm crying because there are no tissues! So I will find toilet roll. And dry my eyes and finish getting her stuff and I'll put it in a bag by the door and leave it there until I need to take it tomorrow. So, I just need to sort her books from mine, and her films from mine.

When Harry met Sally; Mine. Cats; hers. Despicable Me; Mine. Phantom of the Opera; Mine. Juno...Santana's? Santana's. Bad Santa...

"_San, this makes no sense!" Quinn giggled_

"_What doesn't?" Santana was laid on the sofa with her arm dangling off the edge, draped over the blonde, who sat on the floor beside her. She frowned at the blonde, but Quinn's eyes were still fixed on the screen_

"_Why are you insisting on the sombreros?"_

"_I'm Latina!" Santana shrugged with a grin and Quinn turned to frown at her_

"_You're not Mexican!" _

_She giggled with a shrug, and Quinn rolled her eyes incredulously "So? We're playing a drinking game to Bad Santa. In our underwear, in January. But you have an issue with the _sombreros and moustaches_?" she glared at the blonde, who shook her head thoughtfully_

"_No situation I've ever been in has ever made less sense than this one." She shrugged with a smirk, before jerking her head round as Santana pointed a finger at the screen_

"_He said fuck! DRINK!" she bellowed. Both girls grabbed their full shot glasses and swallowed back the liquid in a swift gulp, immediately followed by shuddering grimaces. Quinn giggled as she watched Santana's face, turning to kneel up facing the brunette on the sofa with a grin_

"_You know, you're pretty cute with that moustache" she winked "I'm almost feeling straight" Santana laughed, stroking her stick-on facial hair haughtily, and Quinn leaned forward for a sweet kiss._

_Santana pulled back, resting her head back on the arm of the chair and her sombrero immediately tipped into her eyes. She tilted it back onto her head and gave the blonde a regretful smile as she spoke "I'd say the same, but right now you're leaning over and there's _way_ too much boob in my vision for me to reply convincingly. I'm just too gay right now." She nodded seriously and Quinn giggled before swinging a leg up onto the couch and pulling herself up, laying her body along the brunette's with a smirk, and Santana rolled her eyes "Yeah, _now_ I feel less gay" she grinned, but Quinn suddenly shouted_

"'_FUCK' drink!" she reached out to pour another two shots, handing one to Santana and they repeated their earlier action "Eurgh! I'm pretty sure it gets worse!"_

"_I know! I _hate_ tequila!" Santana shook her head, her teeth clenched and eyes squeezed shut, and Quinn stared at her, aghast_

"_Then why are we drinking it? _ I_ don't like it!" she stared incredulously at the brunette, who shrugged happily_

"_I went with a theme! Tequila, sombreros..." she trailed off with a thoughtful frown, and Quinn narrowed her eyes_

"_Bad Santa? To fit our 'Mexican theme'?" she glared for a moment before Santana pouted defensively, giving a small hiccup_

"_Well, we _did _have ponchos! Whose fault is _that_?" She demanded, prodding Quinn in the chest, and the blonde giggled_

"_I couldn't help it! I knew what was under the poncho!" she shrugged with a grin, kissing Santana on the nose before pulling off her sombrero and shuffling down the girl's body to rest her head on her chest_

"_Hey! You can't take off the hat!" Santana pouted, but Quinn raised an eyebrow_

"_Well I want snuggles. Shall I wear it on my _ass i_nstead?" she smirked, and Santana shook her head furiously as she wrapped her arms around the blonde, her fingertips teasing at the frilly hem of the blonde's underwear with a grin "I thought so. Bad Santana!" _

_The brunette rolled her eyes at the bad pun, and Quinn settled her head back on Santana's chest, nibbling at her skin every now and then, making her giggle and squirm as they both turned their attention back to the film, occasionally necking shots and grimacing._

Fuck me, Santa! Fuck me, Santa!

_Santana frowned at the TV as Quinn lifted her head, raising an eyebrow and shaking her head "I can no longer keep up with this drinking game" she slurred slightly with a giggle, and Santana laughed, shaking her head_

"_Bad Santana seconds that motion!"_

Fuck me, Santa!

"_And the sentiment of this film...is very _un_like a Christmas film." Quinn smirked at the image on the screen_

"_Bad Santana seconds that motion!"_

Fuck me, Santa!

_Quinn looked up, meeting the girl's dark eyes with a quirked eyebrow and a smirk "I second _that _motion."_

Bad Santa; hers. Okay, definitely time to stop going through our stuff. Her stuff. And my stuff. Not _our_ stuff. Yeah, its time for bed.


	33. Brave

"Are you nervous? Angry? Are you gonna punch her?" Jess grimaced, giving the blonde a worried sidelong glance as they left the elevator, but Quinn chuckled.

"No, I just want to get it over with." She knocked on the door with her free hand, and Santana answered a few moments later, looking surprised and a little hopeful, although Quinn tried to ignore that.

"Quinn, hi! What's up, are you okay?" she tried to smile, but it didn't disguise the worry on her face. She had been sat trying to think of big romantic gestures to try and get Quinn back, and this was definitely a surprise.

"I still have your stuff. So...I thought you'd want it back." She looked at the floor as she held out the bag, averting her eyes from the sight of Santana's face falling with disappointment,

"Oh. Well, thanks. Do you wanna come in or anything?" she asked hopefully, looking between the girls, but Jess glanced over at the blonde, who took a breath and shook her head slowly,

"No. I don't want to. And...I don't want you to come by the bakery and all of that. I can't just...see you around...anymore. It's not fair. You hurt me, and you can't just talk it away, with cupcakes and apologies and hope I'll forgive you." She looked down at her hands, swallowing back tears.

"Quinn, please, just stay and talk to me, and let me explain." Santana frowned, gazing desperately at the blonde, who shook her head in disbelief,

"I don't want your explanations, Santana! It's too late. You fucked up, now you just have to live with it, alright? Do you think I _want_ to walk away right now?" The tears glistened in the blonde's eyes as she glared at Santana "I don't. I want to stay, and keep my stuff here and take your stuff back to mine, and for everything to be rosy. But you can't just go around treating people however you want and expect there to be no consequences! You hurt me. So, you don't get the right to explain."

"Okay. I'm sorry." She bowed her head, averting her eyes from the blonde's tears, and Quinn nodded with a sad finality, placing the bag down at Santana's feet with a sigh

"Okay then. Goodbye, Santana." She took a step back out of the apartment, turning on her heel

"Bye." Santana swallowed, and Jess gave her arm a squeeze before following after the blonde, who was now waiting in the lift. It was then that Santana's eyes fell on the photo at the top of her pile of belongings. It was a photo from the time she and Quinn had won the karaoke competition at the bar. Brittany had taken the photo, and it was on a slight angle, taken from the floor while the girls stood on the stage.

It was a close-up shot of Quinn and Santana, holding the red and gold trophy between them. The blonde's arm was slung around Santana's neck, pulling her tight towards her with her face pressed against the brunette's cheek with a triumphant grin. Santana's teeth were bared in a grimace, and the girls' hair was messy from celebrating. Quinn's grimace looked more cute than intimidating, and Santana remembered falling off the stage immediately after the photo was taken. She had tried to grab onto Sam as she fell, but only succeeded in pouring his drink over her as she clattered to the floor. Quinn had helped her up and even swapped shirts with her before helping her hobble home in fits of giggles.

She could hear her heart beat growing faster and her stomach turn, and in a split second she made a decision. She darted out of the apartment, grabbing Jess' wrist as she sprinted down the hall, reaching into the elevator and slamming the Close Doors button as she passed,

"Santana, what are you do-"

"Shut up!" she carried on running, dragging Jess down the stairs behind her "Okay, you're gonna get in the elevator on the next floor down!" she hit the Call Elevator button of the floor below her own as they ran past it, ignoring Jess' frown "It'll stop on this floor on the way down, which will buy time" She kept on running down to the next floor down, punching the Call Elevator button on this floor, and releasing Jess "When it gets to this floor, get in!" she was now running backwards down the hall, away from a stunned Jess "As soon as you're between floors seven and six, I want you to hit _every single button_ in that elevator. But_ do not let the alarm get pushed! _ Promise me!"

"Okay but-" Jess frowned but Santana was already sprinting down the staircase, and she smiled casually as the elevator doors slid open to reveal a very perplexed blonde

"What the hell is she doing?" Quinn frowned, wide-eyed with surprise and anger, but Jess shook her head with a grimace

"I haven't got a fucking clue, love." She stepped in, closing the elevator doors behind her as she shrugged casually at the blonde.

-o-

Santana sprinted down the stairs until she reached the sixth floor, panting from exertion and swallowing hard. Her heart was hammering her chest as she chewed at the inside of her cheek, soon tasting blonde with a wince. She hopped from foot to foot restlessly as she watched the numbers above the elevator doors decreasing, praying for them to stop soon. Floor 8... She took a deep breath, holding it and tensing every muscle as she prayed and hoped and wished with all of her might. She didn't dare blink, pressing her lips together as she stared at the decreasing numbers, her heart pounding in her ears and her muscles twitching involuntarily.

-o-

Jess stared at the numbers above the door, her jaw tensed and brow furrowed. She had no idea what the girl was planning, but who was she to stand in the way? She gulped, trying to calm her breathing as she watched the numbers decreasing. She was pretty sure the nauseous feeling in her stomach with nothing to do with the lift's momentum as she took a deep breath. Floor 7. She turned and prodded her fingers into every single floor button as fast as she could, ignoring Quinn's shouts of protest and confusion as the lift jerked to a stop, and Jess looked back at the numbers above the door with baited breath.

-o-

Floor 8…Floor 7…Floor 6.

Santana's eyes darted across the doors, waiting to see if they would slide open. When they didn't, she breathed a huge sigh of relief. The elevator had stopped. Step one had worked. Her heart still hammering, she stepped forward and pounded her palms on the metal door "Quinn? Quinn, are you there? Can you hear me?" she called, licking her lips and chewing her lip, banging impatiently on the door.

"Santana? What the fuck are you doing?" The blonde's demanding voice came from behind the doors, and she couldn't help but grin and fist-pump before taking a deep breath.

"I'm sorry but…I had to make you listen!" she called back, before turning and sitting with her back to the cool metal doors, still panting slightly "Jess, do you have an iPod or something? I'd appreciate a private moment?"

"Um…yeah?" the girl's confused voice called back, and Santana waited a few moments before she began to speak

"Quinn I'm sorry. Okay, I was going to do some big romantic gesture or something, but...I'll go with essentially holding you hostage instead. So I'm sorry for that, and using Jess and all, but...I just have _nothing _else to lose, and you have to listen, and I have to try." She sighed before licking her lips and taking a breath "I need to tell you a story, about my ex-girlfriend. She worked in this little shop around the corner-"

"Very cute, Santana but-"

"Not you! It was before you." She regained control of her breathing, and swallowed before shouting through the doors again "She worked in an adult film" she glanced up as a fellow resident entered from the stairs, scowling at her as they began to ascend the next flight "…florist. Her name was Lily." There was silence from behind the doors as Quinn sat down on the floor, her back resting on the metal doors, glaring at Jess who still silently stood guard of the alarm button. "She was so pretty, and funny, and kind of a bad-girl, but not really. I loved her, so much. We'd been dating for like three weeks, and I already knew I loved her. I thought she was the one." She laughed bitterly before taking a deep breath "I would have done anything for her. Like, usually I was so cool in relationships, and nothing fazed me, but when it came to her…I was just like, a gibbering wreck. I would have done anything for her; I'd have walked over hot coals, jumped from a moving train, fought a bear with my bare hands. Anything apart from spiders, they were her domain coz I hate spiders. I'm rambling, sorry.  
>"Yeah so…she was my life. I thought she was literally going to be my life forever. I mean, I was young, and scared of the future and the big bad world and everything, but she was like…a constant. I knew she'd be there. And I decided that, even though everyone would say I was too young, I was going to ask her to marry me. Because it made sense to, we were perfect together. So I thought of the most romantic way of doing it, making sure it was a complete and total surprise." She paused, waiting in case Quinn wanted to tell her to stop talking or leave her alone, but when no protest came, she continued "So, I finished work early and went to her apartment, so I could get a ring for size, do it properly. I should have known, actually, because I remember walking past the mail shelf thingy, and thinking that none of her mail was there. Which was weird, because it would have been delivered while she was at work, so she wouldn't have taken it yet. But I didn't realise at the time, so I went on up to her apartment, and I let myself in, like always. And I saw…the shoes that she'd worn to work that day. And I remember thinking it was weird; because I was sure she'd been wearing them that morning. Then I saw the mail, on the table by the door, and I stepped forward into her apartment, and there she was. She was on the couch…butt naked, with this…with this guy. Like, a guy? Really? I was <em>pretty sure<em> she was a lesbian." She paused to swallow, before opening her mouth to continue, but a small voice from the other side of the doors stopped her,

"What happened?" she smiled slightly at the blonde's voice. She sounded shy.

"Well, that sucked, obviously. Yeah, and obviously they…got off each other, and whatever. And I just stood there. I couldn't even look at her; I was just staring at the ground. Because like, on the floor next to the couch was her sweater. And, it was her favourite sweater. It was the sweater I had bought her for her birthday about a month before. Like,_ I_ bought her that sweater, and there it was, on the floor, while she cheated on me with…this…_guy_. And for a moment, I'm pretty sure my heart sort of…stopped? If that's possible. I don't know, is that possible? You're smarter than me, is it possible?" She didn't give the blonde time to answer "I'm rambling I'm sorry. It was like she had driven a knife, straight through my chest. And then like, hit me with a mallet or something. And Rachel and Brittany like to think that I puked all over them both, but I didn't. I wish I had; actually, it would be much funnier and make this story less depressing. But, I turned and I left the apartment, and Lily chased after me, screaming she was sorry. And I turned around, and I wish to God that I had just slapped her. But I didn't, I was too pathetic, so I turned and kissed her. I dunno why, maybe I thought she'd somehow make it better. And like, I just wanted one more kiss, you know? Before like, the whole world crumbled down." She gave a small, humourless laugh "But she wasn't my Lily any more. And she tasted like him. Like, he was a smoker, and she just tasted bitter and like…burnt. And then I turned and just ran, and I didn't look back and I just kept running until I got to my apartment."

"…I'm sorry."

"It's okay. I'm sorry; you're probably wondering why I'm telling you this. But like, since then…I just don't _do _love. I barely do relationships. Because, well, I don't _ever _want to feel that again. And if I don't let people in, and don't let people love me, or don't let myself love other people, then they can't hurt me like that. I thought that if I could put up, like, a barrier, then I could enjoy relationships, and everything, but I'd never be so vulnerable that I could hurt like that again. No one would be _able_ to hurt me like that again." She took a few deep breaths and tears started to sting the back of her eyes "But that plan sucked. It was a stupid plan, and I'm stupid. Because it didn't work. I mean, it worked enough for stupid girls who were just there and didn't really matter. But then, it didn't work on this one girl, because she mattered. She matters. You matter. You matters _so much_." She swallowed back her tears and looked up at the ceiling with a sigh "I wanted to put up this wall, so I couldn't get hurt. To keep out anyone who would hurt me. But then I forgot about the people who _wouldn't _hurt me. Like you." The tears were flowing freely now, and she brought her knees up to her chest to hug her legs "And then I pushed you away. Because I was scared you'd hurt me. But you're not Lily. Like, you're smarter, and prettier, and funnier, and so sweet, and kind and gentle. But you're still feisty, and fun and interesting and exciting, and you're worth like _a million_ of her. I didn't want to get hurt again, because I didn't want to feel like that again. But then I pushed you away, and it turns out, that hurting someone else…actually feels worse. Like, fifty times as bad. And I miss you. And I-"

She felt the elevator judder behind the doors, and scrambled to her feet with a scared frown, staring at the doors in confusion. "Santana?" she heard Quinn call from behind the elevator, and stared wide-eyed, waiting for the doors to slide open.

"This wasn't part of the plan!" Jess shouted, but her voice was getting quieter. Santana stared up at the flashing lights above the elevator as the numbers began to decrease. She licked her lips and immediately turned on her heel, dashing to the stairs once again, leaping down the last four steps of every flight as she hurried down to the foyer in an attempt to beat the girls in the elevator.

Santana reached the ground floor a few minutes later, and ran to the elevator doors. She banged her fist on the metal as she shouted for the blonde, but the doors were long closed, and there was no reply. She was still panting from the run, and her heart was pounding, her throat tight and her mouth dry, but she ran to the doors of the building, shouting for the girls as she reached the street. She spun around, craning her neck to see over the heads of the people on the street, and spotted a familiar brunette, walking away beside a blonde.

_She's gone. I lost her._

She paused, regaining her breath as she stared out at the busy street, watching the strangers pass by, before turning back into the building with a heavy sigh. She swallowed back tears as she crossed the foyer, but slumped down on the bottom steps, dropping her head into her hands. She was just too tired. She had lost. She stood, slowly crossing to the elevator with a sigh as she pushed the call button. It arrived a moment later and she stepped inside. It still smelt of limes. She took a deep breath before letting out a small cry of frustration as tears began to run down her face, dripping off her nose and lips as she dropped her head, before brushing at the tears with the back of her hand.

The doors slid open and she stepped out onto her floor with a sigh. She felt numb as she slowly walked to her door, still ajar from her swift exit earlier. She pushed it gently, entering the apartment and resting her back on the cold wood. She licked her lisp and took a deep breath, staring at the ceiling before closing her eyes and sliding down onto the floor with a sigh. Her heart was slowly returning to it's normal pace, and she hiccupped through her tears. She could feel the blood gushing in her ears. Her chest felt tight. Her legs were numb from the hard floor. Her breathing was shallow and her limbs felt heavy while her head felt light.

"You know, you shouldn't leave your door unlocked. Anyone could waltz in."

She opened her eyes slowly, blinking away tears and blurry vision, to see a familiar blonde leaning against the door frame of the bathroom. Her mouth dropped open slightly as she stared up at the girl, her mouth moving wordlessly. She swallowed, blinking rapidly, not daring to hope as butterflies rose in her stomach. She swallowed, taking a deep breath before she spoke,

"What are you doing here?"

Her voice came out as barely a whisper, and Quinn licked her lips, staring down at the ground as she took a breath "Uh...you killed a spider for me." She replied in a low voice, and Santana frowned,

"What?"

"In the, uh, the elevator. You said you would have fought bears and everything, but you didn't kill spiders for her...because you hate them." Santana nodded slowly with a frown, still sat on the floor, "But you kill spiders for _me_. And, and you were also going to say something, before the elevator moved again." Santana didn't reply, so Quinn pushed off from the door frame and walked towards her slowly, reaching out to pull the brunette to her feet

"I kill spiders because you hate them." Santana mumbled with a small shrug, not daring to look away from the blonde's eyes.

"More than you do?" Quinn raised an eyebrow, and Santana couldn't help but smile at the familiar quirk, before bowing her head, looking down at her fidgeting hands with a frown

"Probably not. But _you_ do, so _I_ kill them instead. They're scary but I have to be brave, because you hate them, and you do that kind of thing..." she swallowed, clearing her throat quietly, and looking back up at the blonde as she took a deep breath "when you love someone."

She watched the blonde carefully. Quinn's eyes widened slightly, her expression softening as the corners of her mouth twitched up slightly, and took a deep breath "I also left some stuff here." Santana's face fell slightly, her jaw tensing. She dropped her head to stare at the floor again with a small nod as Quinn continued "There's a bag of stuff by the door, that I want in my apartment. For my girlfriend. Because you do that kind of thing, when you love someone." Santana lifted her head once again with a small smile, and met the blonde's eyes as Quinn grinned "That is, if you want to?"

Santana nodded furiously with a shocked smile as Quinn held out her arms, and Santana immediately ran into them, wrapping her arms around the blonde's neck and pulling her close. She nuzzled her face into Quinn's neck, inhaling deeply and squeezing her eyes shut as the familiarity bombarded her senses. Quinn turned her head to press her lips to Santana's hair with a small smile. "Do you love me?" she murmured, in barely a whisper, and Santana pulled back to cup Quinn's face with both hands.

"I love you." She spoke confidently, but Quinn could see a glimmer of fear in her eyes, and dropped her forehead to rest on the brunette's with a grin

"Good. Okay. I love you." She nodded and pulled the girl tighter against her body, and Santana tilted her head back slowly before pulling the blonde down to her and closing the tiny gap between their lips. She slid her hand up into Quinn's hair, locking her lips in a gentle kiss, until Quinn lifted her off her feet and shifted them toward the couch. She placed the brunette so she was sat on the back of the couch, and pulled away before pushing her over the back of the sofa.

Santana giggled, grabbing Quinn's hands as her back plummeted toward the sofa cushions, but the blonde pulled her hands away "No way. I wasn't supposed to bend like that _then_, and I'm not supposed to _now_!" she laughed, stepping to the end of the couch. She sat on the arm and flopped backwards, her legs dangling over the arm of the sofa as she rested her head on Santana's stomach. The brunette immediately brought her hands up to rake through the blonde's hair as she let out along breath.

"I missed you so much. I'm sorry." she frowned at the ceiling, and Quinn swallowed

"I know. I missed you too. But, we're still not just rainbows and butterflies. We're not just going to suddenly beokay. Because I'm still made at you." She shook her head with a frown, and Santana nodded slowly, before she reached up and took Santana's hand, linking their fingers "And you're not completely forgiven" Santana licked her lips with an udnerstanding frown

"I know, I don't expect to be. But I do love you. And I won't run away. Even though it's scary."

"Well," Quinn shrugged "Spiders are scary. You have to be brave."


	34. Piranhas

Quinn woke up slowly, rubbing at her eyes and stretching before her eyelids fluttered open, focusing on the ceiling above her. She registered that she wasn't in her apartment, and propped herself up on her elbows as she gazed around the room. She grinned as she remembered the events of the night before and rolled over in the bed, smiling as her eyes fell on the brunette beside her. She moved, resting on one elbow, to get a better view of the girl's serene face, and lifted her other hand to brush a strand of hair off Santana's forehead with a small smile.

She swept her fingertips down the bridge of Santana's nose, round her full lips to her chin, before stroking back up to her temple and forehead, then down along her cheekbones, and giggled when the brunette grinned and snuggled closer to her body, dropping her arm around Santana's waist and leaning down to press her lips to Santana's temple. "Hello gorgeous" she whispered, and Santana sighed happily.

"Hey, you." Santana cupped her face, pulling her into a deep kiss before pulling away with a grin "Ah, I can't believe you're here!" she giggled, rolling on her side to face the blonde, who raised an amused eyebrow.

"What? Why?" she dragged her finger's up and down Santana's ribcage, lifted her t-shirt up and down as she went.

"I don't know. Because you're here. And I'm so lucky. And I love you." She grinned again and Quinn giggled, rolling her eyes before wrapping an arm around Santana and rolling over, pulling her down to lay on top of her.

"I love you too. And I love being able to say that." She pecked a quick kiss on Santana's nose, and she scrunched her face up, so Quinn placed another to the bridge with a chuckle. A phone started to ring as Santana shuffled her body down Quinn's resting her head in the crook of the blonde's neck with a smile, and Quinn groaned "Is that you or me?"

"It's me" Santana replied, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply.

"Did you just sniff me? Aren't you going to answer it?" Quinn closed her eyes, snuggling her head into the pillow with a small yawn.

"Yes, don't act like it's weird, you always smell my hair. And no."

"I didn't think you'd noticed. Your hair always smells nice though." She shrugged before tilting her head, smelling Santana's hair and pressing a kiss to the top of her head, before Santana's phone buzzed with a message. A few seconds later, Don't Rain on My Parade started blaring from Quinn's phone, and Santana raised her head to stare at the blonde.

"What is that?" her eyes were eyes and her lip curled in mild disgust, and Quinn giggled with a shrug.

"Rachel's ringtone. Everyone has one. Hmm, must be important if she's ringing both of us." Quinn bit her lip thoughtfully before sighing and reaching for her phone, as Santana watched on horrified "Hey Rach…oh God, yeah…well that sucks…" Santana frowned, watching Quinn's sympathetic face "Yeah of course…well, I have news for you too, actually…yeah I'll tell you when I see you…okay, love you, bye!"

"What's going on?" Santana frowned resting her chin on Quinn's breastbone, and the blonde placed a forearm under her head, looking down at the brunette.

"Rachel's show ends this week. They were hoping to extend it but they couldn't get the rights from the theatre." Santana's shoulders slumped with disappointment.

"That does suck. Ugh, now she'll be back to auditions all the time, and she was _so happy_. Poor, Rach."

"I know. So, she wants us to go to the last show this Friday. And we're all going to the bar tonight." She smiled, blowing Santana a kiss, and the brunette mimed catching it between her teeth, before lifting herself up until they were face to face again, giving Quinn a long, sweet kiss with a smile

"So can we tell them we're back together now so we can all hang out again?" Santana giggled, and Quinn nodded "Okay, so what's everyone's ringtones then?" she smirked, an Quinn rolled her eyes with a blush

"Shut up!" She pouted and Santana grinned "I'm not telling you if you're gonna be mean!"

"No, come on! Tell me, I think it's cute" she peppered kisses all over Quinn's face, and the blonde squirmed and giggled before spreading a hand over Santana's face and pushing her away

"Fine! Okay, well Rachel's is Don't Rain, Brittany's is Sugartown, Sam is Timchel by Mumford and Sons…" Santana raised a quizzical eyebrow, and Quinn paused "Oh, they're his favourite band and one of the lyrics is 'as brothers we will stand and we'll hold your hand' um…Puck's is Bat Out of Hell, and…you don't have one because I deleted your number." Santana looked away guiltily, but the blonde placed two fingers under her chin, tilting her face to look at her again "But you will be Pencil Full of Lead, because best of all, I've got my baby."

Santana grinned, blushing, and Quinn rolled her eyes at her own cheesiness before pulling the grin into a tight hug, and Santana's voice was muffled by Quinn's shoulder "So what are we doing today?"

"What?" the blonde frowned, releasing her grip slightly.

"What do you want to do today?" she repeated.

"I…have no idea. As much as I've missed your apartment, let's go out." She grinned.

"Where?" Quinn smiled, and Santana rolled her eyes.

"I don't know! _You_ come up with some ideas!" she giggled, and Quinn pouted bashfully

"Where have we never been?" she gazed thoughtfully around the room, and Santana laughed.

"England. Mars. Epcot. A Garden Centre. Disneyworld. China. The highest observation deck of the Empire State Building" she smirked and Quinn blushed "The Grand Canyon. The set of Lord of the Rings. A Celine Dion concert. The San Diego Zoo. A successful movie theatre. The Aquarium. Texas. A-"

"Okay, I get it!" Quinn laughed, and Santana shrugged casually.

"The world is our oyster, Fabray."

"Well, Texas may be out of the question. As will a Celine Dion concert, I imagine" she frowned thoughtfully, and Santana sighed, mock-disappointed.

"Damn!"

"I'm thinking aquarium"

"Sounds awesome. As long as they have octopuses-"

"Octopi" Quinn added.

"-and crabs." Santana ignored the girl as she ticked off the wildlife on her fingers.

"You have crabs."

"And blowfish."

"You're a blowfish."

"And sharks. Stop it!" she slapped a hand over Quinn's mouth as the blonde giggled.

"You're a shark." She mumbled quietly, and Santana raised an eyebrow.

"Damn right. Now get up, I want to get there fast so I can feed you to the piranhas." She climbed off the bed, turning to leave the room.

"You're a-"

Santana whirled round; pointing a finger at the blonde with a stern expression "No." she turned again, pulling her t-shirt over her head as she entered the bathroom, and Quinn bit her lip thoughtfully with a grin, before jumping off her bed and chasing after her.

She caught up with the brunette in the bathroom, immediately pressing herself against Santana's bare back, and dropping soft kisses down her neck, nibbling at her shoulder as she brought her hands up to Santana chest. The brunette snuggled into her as her breath caught in her chest, before stepping forwards slightly. She took the blonde's hands from her chest, and dropped their arms down, interlinking their fingers as she pulled away to turn her head to the blonde "What? I thought you wanted to wait?" she gave a small frown, and Quinn gave a bashful smile before shrugging mischievously.

"Well then don't take your shirt off!" she let go of Santana's hands, stroking the fingers of one hand across the girl's hip as she brought the other up to her chest again, leaning in for a soft slow kiss before dropping her head and biting Santana's shoulder hard.

"Are you sure?" Santana frowned, and Quin growled

"Yes!"

"Okay!" The brunette spun round and pushed Quinn against the wall behind her, dragging her hands up under the blonde's tank top and pulling it swiftly over her head with a grin, before taking a few steps backward, never looking away from the blonde, who blushed under her scrutiny. She twisted the dials in the shower before turning back to the blonde, raising an eyebrow expectantly before crooking a finger, beckoning the girl towards her with a grin.

-ooOoo-

"Hey look!" Quinn pointed at the sign "Here's those piranhas you ordered" she smiled as they reached the tank

"They're so crazy looking. They're like the crazy axe murderers of the sea." Santana stared unblinkingly at the fish in front of her before turning to Quinn, jutting her bottom jaw out and crossing her eyes at the blonde.

"Okay, now I'm ashamed of the things I did to you this morning." She gazed at Santana disbelievingly, who giggled and took her hand, dragging her away from the tank as Quinn shook her head, cringing.

They wandered round the twisting pathways of the aquarium, Quinn occasionally stopping to read the large boards of information, but every time Santana stood impatiently, sighing and gazing around restlessly before dragging her away to the next section of sealife, and eventually Quinn gave up on trying to read anything.

"Japanese Spider Crabs!" Santana shouted, pointing ahead of them and almost breaking into a run, and Quinn giggled as she chased after her, reaching the tank a few seconds later.

"Oh my god. They're huge. Look at _that _one!" Quinn pointed at the large board beside the tank with an awed expression. There was a photo displayed of the largest ever caught, and it was easily the size of a full grown man, and they both stared open mouthed "Would you kill one of _them _for me?" Quinn snorted and Santana grimaced.

"No. But I'd run slower so it ate me first?" she shrugged her suggestion and Quinn giggled.

"Awh, thank you!" she gave the brunette a chaste kiss before turning back to the tank "They're kind of cute in a totally terrifying way."

"They remind me of those Martians in War of the Worlds." Santana tilted her head thoughtfully "They're like…" she squatted down and made pincer shapes with her hands, baring her teeth and flicking her wrists back and forth. She clacked her teeth together, bobbing her head, elbows and shoulders, and Quinn stared at her, open mouthed, before bursting into giggles.

"Are you going to do impressions of _every_ animal here?" she asked incredulously, and Santana raised her hands to the blonde's face, who ducked away from Santana's 'pincer' hands.

"I might. Why? Does crab Santana bother you?" the blonde ducked and swerved away from Santana's outstretched arms "Is Crab Santana annoying? Is this annoying you?"

"Yes!" she finally grabbed the brunette's hands, pulling them away from her face before linking their fingers and pulling her away "We're moving on, these crabs are a bad influence on you!" Santana waved goodbye to the crabs with a pout, opening and closing her pincers sadly.

Through the next labyrinth of passageways, there was a large glass tunnel, and they stared up in awe at the shoals of tropical fish and variety of sharks swimming above their heads. Santana immediately grinned and pointed upwards, tugging on Quinn's arm in excitement "Sharks! Sharks!" she grinned before baring her teeth menacingly at the blonde.

"I can see them!" She giggled "Is that really your best shark impression?" she raised a sceptical eyebrow and Santana pouted thoughtfully.

"Well, aside from this…" she held a hand up to her head like a fin, swishing it from side to side as she grimaced, as Quinn awkwardly glanced at the male staff member nearby "…yes. Can _you _do better?"

She looked back to Santana with a grin, before shrugging "I don't know, 'Fish are friends, not food'?" she mimicked, and the staff member beside them shook his head with a smile

"That was a horrible accent." He remarked, and Quinn cringed at his genuine Australian one

"I'm sorry."

"You should be; I'm offended." He shook his head with a grin, and Santana laughed at the blonde

"Okay, I know you probably get asked this all the time, but can you say it?" Santana grinned sweetly at the guy, who shrugged

"No, I don't get asked that at all actually" he said casually, and Quinn's jaw dropped

"No way! Really?"

"No! Of course I get asked that, I'm Australian and I supervise the shark tank! That film ruined my life!" he laughed and Quinn blushed as Santana giggled

"Please say it! Just for us; it would completely make our day!" she grinned and he rolled his eyes

"Fine! 'Fish are friends, not food'" The girls cheered and Quinn giggled as Santana stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the guy's waist, and the blonde joined in a moment later, pulling him into a tight hug

"Thank you aquarium-man" she grinned and he nodded as they pulled away

"It's fine. Have a good day, ladies!" they waved behind them as they walked away, pausing in the tunnel to look up at the shark swimming overhead before continuing down the passage. They passed a variety of other tanks, holding octopi and fish and crabs, until Santana broke into a run, heading towards an open tank,

"Oh my God. I fucking love sting rays!" Santana grinned as they leaned over the tank, while Quinn glanced guiltily at the family beside them.

"Santana! Language" she hissed as she winced apologetically at the mother glaring at her.

"What? They're so fucking…like, huge. And flat. And dangerous. And they have really weird faces. They're like this" she jutted her jaw out, covering her teeth with her lips, and leaned her head back, opening and closing her mouth, and Quinn stared at her with a wide-eyed, bemused grin. "Would you still love me if I looked like this?" she leaned towards the blonde, opening and closing her misaligned jaw

"Of course." Quinn giggled, taking her hand again

"Would you still love me if I was a sting ray?" she grinned

"I dunno." She shrugged with a frown "Do they eat people or anything? Coz you'd always be trying to eat me," She pouted before realising what she said, and snorted "so no change there then!" she laughed at the brunette, who pouted

"Shut up." She giggled "Or I'll set one of them on you." She growled and held her hand over the water, and Quinn tugged at her arm

"Stop it. No, come on, stop messing around." she grinned, glancing at the staff member who was eying them warily.

"Why? Scared?" she dipped her hand into the water quickly, flicking it at Quinn

"Santana stop it!" she squirmed with a giggled, watching the woman supervising the tank, who looked very unimpressed

"What? It's not like they're going to jump out of the tank and eat you!" she laughed, and the woman cleared her throat

"Excuse me, girls, can you stop messing around?" She glared at Santana, who nodded guiltily, before dipping her hand into the water again, scooping at the water and throwing it at Quinn, who squealed loudly. The woman took a step towards them and Santana grabbed Quinn's hand, dragging her out of the room and glancing over her shoulder quickly. The woman had sped up, striding towards them as they reached the doors, and Santana grimaced guiltily with a chuckle as she pushed through.

They slowed as they reached the next section of tanks, Quinn growling under her breath "Santana! I swear to God, if you get us ki-" she was cut off as the woman stormed through the doors, glaring at Santana and screaming for them to stop. The brunette gave a small shriek before grabbing the blonde and breaking into a run. "Oh my God, San!" Quinn squealed as they ran from the aquarium, starting to giggle as they ran through into the gift shop as the woman stormed along behind them.

They reached the street, panting and laughing as they both checked nervously over their shoulders, before Quinn turned to Santana, shaking her head "I cannot believe…you just got us kicked out…of the _aquarium_."

"I didn't get us kicked out! No one forcibly removed us from the premises!" she defended with a giggle as they began to walk down the street,

"Only because we ran from the premises before they could!" Quinn rolled her eyes, taking Santana's hand "I forgot how you can't _ever _be trusted in any public place." She laughed and Santana shrugged, smiling sweetly

"so…wanna get ice cream?" Santana winked and Quinn shook her head in disbelief, before smiling

"Sure." She shrugged, rolling her eyes "Why not?"

-ooOoo-

"Hey cutie. Ready to go?" Santana grinned as she flopped down onto the sofa beside the blonde, who took a deep breath

"I think I'm gonna miss tonight." She looked down at her hands, glancing up at the brunette's expression, noting that Santana was frowning slightly

"Okay…are you alright?" Santana bit her lip, taking Quinn's hand in her own "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, sweetie no." Quinn turned to face her more, with a small smile "Today was awesome."

"Are you sure? You're sure we're okay?" Santana winced, watching the blonde worriedly, and Quinn let out a small laugh, leaning in to give the brunette a gentle kiss

"I promise, we are fine. And we had an awesome day today, and it was lots of fun. But I'm just not quite ready to do the whole couple thing with all the girls and everything. Like, I don't know, I don't think I'm ready to be a couple around all of them as well, and plus they'll ask questions and want details and, it's just a lot of pressure. You know?"

"Yeah, I understand. It's a lot of pressure and after…everything. I understand." She nodded confidently, biting her lip slightly, and Quinn smiled

"Stop worrying. We're fine, everything's good. Are you okay?" she cupped Santana's face, holding it so the brunette had to look at her, and Santana smiled slightly at the blonde's tactic

"No, yeah of course, I know. It's just that, I won't go. Because you shouldn't miss out because of me." She shrugged with a smile, and Quinn gazed at her thoughtfully

"I already told Jess we were going though, and Rachel was your friend first and everything. You should be there" She frowned slightly, but Santana shook her head

"Trust me. Just tell them that I'm sick and didn't feel like it, and I'll make plans with Rach for later in the week. If they ask any questions, feel free to avoid them and throw me under the bus, I will answer them later." She grinned, sweeping a hand across Quinn's face to brush the hair out of her eyes, and the blonde grinned back "Okay?"

"Okay" Quinn nodded with a small smile

"You go, and have fun, and if those hyenas start to ask questions, tell them to shut the fuck up, or I'll cut a bitch. No one messes with my lady." She grinned "Have an awesome night with the girls. And I will see you later, okay?"

Quinn nodded, more confidently this time, and grinned "Okay. Thank you." She leaned in and pulled Santana into a sweet kiss, "I love you"

"I love you, too. Now go have fun!" Quinn stood and she slapped the blonde's ass as she walked away, and Quinn giggled as she pulled her jacket on, running back to the couch to give Santana a long, passionate kiss, before pulling away and grinning as she stepped towards the door again

"Oh but by the way?" Santana raised an eyebrow "I'm taking this!"

Santana grinned as she swiped the extra key from the shelf by the door, winking as she left the apartment.

-ooOoo-

Santana had spent the night contentedly watching season seven of Friends and eating pizza. She would have liked to go to the bar and hang out with the girls, but she understood Quinn's reservations, and would rather her beautiful hilarious awesome sweet incredible girlfriend went and had fun rather than staying home moping because of her. She decided to head to bed early, dreading the Monday morning blues she was sure to endure tomorrow, and sent Quinn a quick text as she got ready for bed.

**Hey Cupcake Girl. Bedtime for me, hope you're having fun. Love you LOTS! S xxxxxxxx**

She snuggled under the covers, tucking her phone under her pillow as she dropped her head with a yawn. She sat up again almost immediately, turning to swap her pillow with the one next to it, and rolled her eyes with a grin as she saw the note under the blonde's pillow, setting it aside as she swapped the pillows, inhaling the scent of limes with a grin as she set her head back down, reaching to flick the lamp on as she picked up the paper once again.

**Dear Starlight  
>I enjoyed sleeping here last night,<br>Back where I belong! Now it's time to  
>start re-stocking the fridge, I hate that<br>colour and you've become very lax.  
>Love Cupcake Girl xxxxxxxxxxxxxx<strong>

She grinned, jumping out of bed and crossing to the dresser, where she pulled the box from the bottom drawer and grabbed the stack of papers, before running to the fridge and sticking all of the notes back up with a grin. As she stuck the last note on the fridge, she heard a key turn in the door, immediately spinning round to flick the light off, stifling her giggles as the blonde stepped quietly into the apartment. She waited until she could hear the girl taking off her coat, before creeping out of the kitchen in the darkness, watching as the blonde reached up to hang her coat on the hook. Santana leapt forwards with a small cry, wrapping her arms around the blonde and lifting her off the floor.

Quinn screamed loudly, squirming out of the girl's grasp and lunging for the light switch. As the room lit up, she turned back to the brunette, stopping when she saw Santana's wide grin, "Oh my _God_, Santana! You scared the shit out of me!" Santana giggled and she slapped her arm "It's not funny! I thought you'd be in bed so I was quiet. I was being nice!"

"I'm sorry, but you were not being quiet." Santana laughed "Are you drunk?" she grinned, and Quinn nodded innocently before giggling

"I see, well I'm sorry for scaring you" Santana grinned, pulling the blonde into a hug "I couldn't help it! I was in bed, but then I found a certain little note…" she blonde blushed and Santana chuckled "So I had to stick _everything _back on the fridge." She grinned, and Quinn moved, taking the brunette with her in an awkward side-step as she peered around the partition wall, and she grinned when her eyes fell on the fridge

"See, that's better! Cover up that nasty colour!" she said with a giggle, and Santana nodded sagely

"Okay, now let's go to bed. I mean, I'm assuming you're staying." She shrugged as she took the blonde's hand and started walking toward the bedroom, and Quinn nodded

"Yep!" she grinned as they reached the bedroom, before tackling Santana onto the bed. The brunette squealed, but Quinn rolled her over beneath her and silenced her with a long kiss, pulling her top off over her head.

"Pyjamas are in our drawer" Santana challenged with a raised eyebrow, and Quinn shrugged, sliding her hands under the girl's t-shirt

"I don't think so." she grinned, tugging at Santana's t-shirt until the brunette sat up, allowing her to pull it off. She began to place small open-mouthed kisses along her neck and collarbone, until Santana lifted her legs to wrap around the blonde's waist before rolling them over until she was straddling Quinn. She leaned down to the blonde until their lips met, slipping her tongue into the blonde's mouth and twisting her hands into the girl's hair, in a passionate kiss, while Quinn stroked her fingers down Santana's bare spine, making her shudder and giggle. She ran her hands down to the brunette's ass, tugging at her underwear as she nibbled her jaw with a grin.

Santana pulled back momentarily to slip her pants off her legs, leaning back down into the blonde with a grin, pausing to place a gentle kiss on her nose and taking a deep breath, "I love you" she smiled.

Quinn pecked Santana on the forehead, grinning and she obviously smelled the girl's hair, and Santana rolled her eyes with a smile as Quinn pulled back to look into her eyes "And I love you."

* * *

><p><strong>Okay<strong>  
><strong>1. HOW crazy did go yesterday? I just got a ton of emails all in one go lol, that was drastic. c) Lol how many of you re-created Santana's faces as you were reading? iv) ONLY FOUR REVIEWS AND I'LL HIT 300! And you are all beautiful wonderful human beings, and I love you all eternally :D<strong>


	35. Operation Alcohol

"Hey, Blondie!" Santana called from the kitchen, and Quinn stuck her head round the bedroom door, looking startled

"What's wrong?" she asked quickly, and Santana turned on her heel, confused

"What? Nothing?"

"You sounded...alarmed" Quinn raised an eyebrow and Santana shrugged

"No. Sorry." Quinn rolled her eyes

"Well then what? I'm half- dried and half-dressed and feeling...damp." she grimaced and Santana chuckled

"Britts just text me and asked if we wanted to go to the bar for drinks later? Say 6-ish?"

"God, yes. This has been the longest week of my life" she sighed heavily, pulling on the rest of her clothes before entering the living room and flopping down on the sofa. Santana swung the fridge door open with a raised eyebrow, crossing to the sofa to gaze curiously at the blonde

"Why? What's up?" it was Saturday afternoon, and they had spent all of last night together at the blonde's apartment, but she hadn't said anything. It had been a pretty long week for Santana, too; as school inspectors were due to visit next week and she had been sorting a _lot_ of paperwork, so the blonde had decided to close the shop today and open up tomorrow instead, to give herself a slight break.

"Nothing really." Quinn shrugged "Just one of those never-ending weeks. Ever day seems four hours longer than the others, the weather has been abysmal so I've had less customers. Just boredom I suppose." She shrugged again and Santana pouted sympathetically "Need alcohol."

"Well then let's go drink away our sorrows!" she grinned before leaning over the back of the couch, kicking her feet in the air as she dipped down to kiss the blonde quickly, righting herself before she could lose her balance and face-plant into Quinn's chest. "Although," she frowned "I do have to go home before then."

"Why?" Quinn whined with a small pout, and Santana shook her head with a smile

"Because I am literally running out of clothes. I haven't been home in days. I can't even remember what my apartment looks like." Santana said seriously, and Quinn snorted

"Right now, probably a lot cleaner than when you _are_ there." She chuckled, and Santana scowled

"Be nice or I won't come back." She deadpanned, before grinning and leaning over to kiss the blonde again "Okay I tell you what; its 4 o'clock, so by the time I go home and get showered, changed and ready, then get some stuff and then come back, it'll be near enough time to go to the bar. Okay?"

"Sir, yes, sir!" Quinn nodded and the other girl smirked

"Commencing Operation: Alcohol."

"See you in 0-200 hours!" the blonde giggled as Santana grabbed her bag and jacket

"I love you!" she called over her shoulder as she swung the door open

"I love you too" Quinn shouted back as the door closed behind her.

Santana ran down the stairs and out of the blonde's apartment building, making her way quickly down the street. She mentally checked off all the things she wanted to take back to Quinn's, whilst running through a list of things she needed to do at her apartment. Like bills. She immediately pushed the thought out of her head, grinning when she thought of how lucky she was, and how great it was that she was going home to take clothes to her girlfriend's apartment. And how Quinn was her girlfriend.

She grinned her way down the street, but was pulled from her reverie at the sight of a familiar head walking down the street in front of her. She frowned slightly before taking off at a run, gaining distance on the boy until she leapt into the air throwing her arms around his neck and jumping up onto his back. He let out a very high-pitched squeal and began spinning round and batting at her until she laughed and squealed.

"Puck! Puck, it's me!" the boy stopped spinning at craned his neck to look over his shoulder at the brunette, taking a deep breath,

"Jesus, Lopez! You fucking terrified me!" he clutched at his chest, regaining his breath before standing straight, waiting for her to jump off his back. When she did no such thing, he rolled his eyes and hoisted her higher up before continuing to walk.

"So what are you doing in_ our_ neck of the woods?" she asked, and he shrugged,

"Nothing, I was just seeing a friend." He replied casually and she raised an eyebrow.

"You have more friends than us and Sam? Wow."

"Yes, actually." He replied scornfully as they reached her street "And you might want to be nicer to people carrying you down the street. Anyway, get off me, I'm going that way." He pointed towards the subway station and she grinned before jumping off his back.

"Thank you, Puck!" she smiled sweetly and he shook his head with a regretful smile,

"The things I will do for a pretty girl" he rolled his eyes and she laughed.

"Sucker. Okay, I'll see you later in the week probably; its karaoke week!" she winked and he nodded with a grin,

"Say hi to Quinn for me. See you there, Lopez!" he waved as they parted, and Santana walked the rest of the distance contentedly, reaching her building a few moments later. She glared at the broken elevator before turning to the stairs with a sigh, taking a deep breath and starting up the stairs at a run. She was panting by the sixth floor, and cursing her unfitness as her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out as she dragged herself to the next floor.

**Made it up the stairs yet? :P xxxx**

She glanced around at the corners of the stairwell with a frown, checking over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow before tapping out a reply.

**Can you see me? **

**I'm spying muahaha ;) 6****th**** floor? Xxxxx**

**No, 9****th****. And you're taking this military thing too far :P xxxxx**

She giggled as she reached her floor, unlocking her apartment and throwing her bag on the couch with a happy sigh. She hung her jacket on the hook beside Quinn's, giving a slight bemused frown as she did so, before stripping off as she headed to the bathroom, abandoning her clothes on the floor as she went. As she reached the bathroom she turned to gaze at the trail of clothing behind her with a thoughtful frown, until her phone buzzed.

**Don't drop your clothes on the floor, you messy bitch. Xxxxx**

**DID YOU FOLLOW ME HOME? XXXX**

**Hehehe nope. Xxxx**

_Creepy._ She frowned as she picked up her clothes, glancing over her shoulder as she did so, before throwing them onto the bed and entering the bathroom.

-ooOoo-

"Cupcake Girl! Come here, you creeper!" she shouted into the blonde's apartment as she dropped her bag by the door, and Quinn appeared from the bathroom,

"What? Do I know you too well?" she laughed and Santana scowled.

"I'd be careful if I were you, I'm still not entirely sure you didn't follow me home." She pulled the blonde into a quick kiss before grabbing her stuff and wandering to the bedroom with it. "Are you ready to go?" she called, as Quinn headed back into the bathroom.

"Almost, won't be long." She replied as she began to apply her make-up, and Santana joined her in the bathroom a moment later, pulling herself up to sit on the counter beside the blonde, watching her with a smile.

"You're so pretty" she tilted her head as she watched Quinn, who grinned with a blush "Oh, I saw Puck on my way back, by the way. He said hi."

"Really?" Quinn stopped applying her blusher to frown at the brunette "Why was he here; he lives further away than Sam?"

"That's what I thought, apparently just visiting a friend" she shrugged and Quinn turned back to the mirror with a shrug.

-ooOoo-

"Hey, guys!" Quinn grinned as she slid into the booth, pulling Santana by the hand to sit down next to her, and Brittany and Jess grinned at them from the opposite side.

"Hey" Brittany smiled knowingly, and Quinn raised a confused eyebrow,

"Awh, you guys!" Jess tilted her head and grinned contentedly, and Santana's lip curled.

"What?" she looked between the two and they looked at each other before turning back with matching grins.

"So cute" the tall blonde shrugged,

"Okay, we've been back together for like two weeks." Quinn frowned "And you know that. And we've seen you since then."

"I know!" Brittany grinned "But it's still nice to see you guys, being all..."

"Cute" Jess finished with a grin

"Oh God, San," Quinn stage-whispered, not looking away from the opposite couple "They've started finishing each others..."

"Sentences." Santana mocked, and Jess rolled her eyes

"Whatever, I give it two weeks before..."

"You two are doing it." Brittany finished, right on cue. Jess held up her left hand, palm facing outwards, and Brittany slapped it with her right.

"Why do you do that?" Santana narrowed her eyes as she frowned at the two girls, who frowned back

"Do what?" Jess shrugged

"That backwards high-five thing."

"How is i backwards?" Brittany frowned.

"Because," Quinn explained, "You high five like this..." Quinn held up her left hand, palm facing in, and Santana hit it with her right, "Not this..." she held up her right hand, palm out, and Santana hit it with her left, and Jess and Brittany scowled at them, until the blonde spoke up.

"Because we don't need your boring-ass high fives!" she held up her hand and Jess slapped it with a sassy head-bob, and Santana rolled her eyes as Quinn groaned

"Oh God, I need a drink." The blonde slid past Santana and out of the booth, heading to the bar.

"So, back together again!" Jess grinned

"How's it going?" Brittany smiled, and Santana rolled her eyes

"So nosy." She shook her head seriously before relenting "Okay fine, it's going really well! I've been at her place for the last, like, three days or something, and I'm staying there tonight. And hopefully next month we're going to visit my parents in the Easter holidays, so she'll meet Luke and everyone." Santana grinned and Jess nodded

"Wow. And you're not even freaking out?"

"Nope."

"Really?" Brittany raised a sceptical eyebrow and Santana nodded reluctantly

"Okay fine. Maybe the occasional freak-out. But if I do, she knows." she shrugged, "And we cuddle and talk it out and we're cool. We're getting there." She smiled, and the girls awhed as Rachel stepped through the door, slumping down next to Brittany with a heavy sigh, "Berry. You look smaller than usual, what's wrong?"

Rachel rolled her eyes before answering "Well, Santana, your witty comment is fairly accurate, although as it is aimed at my stature, it is sorely misdirected. I am in fact, feeling small, but simply due to the fact that I am feeling incredibly deflated after an incredibly long day."

"How do you get _more _irritating as you get tired?" Santana asked, craning her neck over the girls' heads to try and capture Quinn's attention. Her waving arm caused the blonde to turn around, and Santana pointed at Rachel before miming a drink. The three girls watched her in bemused silence, and Santana turned back to them when the blonde nodded, scowling when she saw them smirking at her, "What?"

"You're a dork." Brittany shook her head, and Rachel rolled her eyes before continuing,

"Yeah, I'm fine now, guys. Thanks!" she glared at them and Jess turned back to her,

"Rachel. What's wrong, did the audition go badly?" she nodded her thanks to Quinn, who reappeared and placed a tray of drinks on the table with a frown.

"Audition? Which one is this?" the blonde asked as she sat back down beside Santana, and Rachel took a long drink before resting her elbows on the table and dropping her chin into her hands.

"Today was my audition for Elphaba in Wicked. And there is not a hope in hell that I'm going to get it, I don't even know why I bothered. There were so many other girls there, some of whom I already recognise from Broadway, and by the time it got to my audition the director was clearly bored and uninterested. So I just sang Don't Rain on my Parade and left as soon as I could. It was just pointless." She sighed glumly and the girls made sympathetic faces

"Well that sucks." Brittany rubbed circles on the smaller girl's back, "But there'll be more. You knot it."

"Yeah, Rach," Santana added, and Quinn raised a surprised eyebrow at the use of Rachel's actual name "I mean, you've got even less chance of getting Broadway if you don't even audition. And now you know what you're likely to be up against next time." She shrugged and Rachel bit her lip thoughtfully

"Yeah I suppose" she replied non-commitedly, and Jess frowned

"No. Not 'yeah, I suppose'" she air-quoted "Come on, Rachel. Suck it up; you've got another audition for Broadway next week, right...?"

"Chicago; right..." Rachel nodded and Jess shrugged with a grin

"Well then! Now you know what kind of competition you're against, so you can bloody well prepare yourself better!"

"I suppose you're right." Rachel nodded, more enthusiastically.

"I've never seen Chicago" Quinn pondered, and Santana shook her head

"No, me neither. We should go."

"That'd be cool, we haven't visited Broadway before." Quinn winked and Santana smiled. The blonde leaned in to place a quick, sweet kiss on Santana's lips, and Brittany and Jess looked at each other, grinning at how cute the other girls were before leaning in for their own kiss. Rachel grimaced.

"I just love girl's night out." She muttered sarcastically, rolling her eyes, and Brittany turned to raise an eyebrow

"Excuse me? I don't know why you're acting so..."

"Pissy?" Santana interrupted

"...when we know what you did last night." Jess finished knowingly

"What? What are you talking about?" Rachel frowned, looking down at her drink as a blush started to creep up her neck

"Woah, what's this?" Santana slapped her palm on the table to get the girls' attention, and Brittany smirked

"Well, put it this way...our little Berry got pretty blue last night." She shrugged, and they all nodded approval at her pun

"So who was it, Rachel?" Quinn raised an eyebrow, but the shorter girl rolled her eyes

"No one!" She defended and Jess shook her head

"Are we _really_ going to go through this again?" she asked and Rachel glared

"No, because nothing is going on." She insisted.

Santana frowned thoughtfully, and Quinn glanced up, intrigued at the girl's silence until she saw her expression, and raised an eyebrow. Santana looked up and Quinn caught her eyes as the other girls bickered opposite them, tilting her head questioningly. The brunette shrugged and shook it off, mouthing 'tell you later' when Quinn frowned insistently. They turned back to the conversation as Rachel slapped her hands on the table

"It's nothing, and if you don't shut up about it I'm going home!"

"Wow. Temper tantrum there, Berry." Santana smirked and Quinn cleared her throat quietly

"Jeez...someone needs to get laid." She added innocently, but immediately giggled and looked away bashfully as Rachel glared, while the other girls laughed and Jess held up her hand for a high-five.

-ooOoo-

"So, what were you thinking earlier?"

Santana frowned at the ceiling, trying to understand the girl and make sense of the mess of thoughts and memories of the night. She was laid on Quinn's bed in a state of undress and euphoria, while the blonde lay next to her in a similar condition, her head resting on Santana's stomach.

"What?"

"Tonight when we were talking about Rachel getting laid." She prompted, and Santana grimaced,

"Okay, from now on, you are banned from talking about the hobbit before, after or during sex." She shuddered, and Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Okay fine, sorry. So what were you thinking?" she turned to look up the brunette's body to her face, and Santana frowned slightly before her face lit up with recognition as she remembered,

"Oh! Oh yeah!" she giggled, her face falling into a knowing smirk "Oh yeah. I was just thinking how odd it was..." Quinn frowned "That I saw someone, who we both agreed it was unusual to see in our neighbourhood..."

"Oh"

"...on the morning after Rachel apparently got laid..."

"Oh"

"...and wouldn't tell us who..."

"Oh"

"Similar to last time, don't you think?" she smirked pointedly, and Quinn nodded with a bemused smirk

"Puck. I see. That _does _seem plausible." She shrugged

"The nasties." She grimaced, but Quinn shook her head

"Not necessarily. I mean, no one_ cared_ last time..." she raised an eyebrow "So maybe there's a better reason they don't want to tell us _this_ time. Maybe they're more serious now?" she shrugged and Santana tilted her head from side to side thoughtfully.

"Maybe. Anyway, all this hetero-talk is totally killing my mood." She winked "Come here, you." She placed an arm around the blonde's waist, pulling her towards her with a smirk

"Oh, you have such a way with words." Quinn dead-panned, rolling her eyes before Santana pulled her into a long passionate kiss, dragging her nails down the blonde's bare back and twisting her other hand into her hair, "Lucky for you, you don't need them!" she shrugged with a small smile before swinging her leg over Santana's to straddle the brunette, pulling her into another kiss.


	36. Auntie Q

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Quinn frowned, biting her lip as she glanced around the airport.

"Well, what else would you suggest?" Santana refrained from rolling her eyes, slipping her hand into the blonde's, but Quinn flinched away at the touch, her eyes darting around quickly.

"I don't know. I could just wait here and then get a plane back to New York? We'll do it another time maybe? Or never? It's cool." her eyes flitted around the airport as they waited by the luggage carousel, and Santana chuckled quietly as she watched the restless blonde, before grabbing her hand and pulling her round to look into her eyes.

"Sweetie," she said evenly, cupping the blonde's face "I know you're nervous-"

"Are we really ready for this? I've never met a girl's family before!" Quinn interrupted, frowning nervously and wringing her hands, and Santana clasped them in her own to stop her fidgeting before speaking again.

"I know you're nervous. But you have no need to be; they are going to love you. Because I love you, and you love me, and anyone with half a brain can see how happy you make me."

"But, what if they don't like me?" her eyes searched Santana's face, and the brunette smiled with a small eye roll

"Okay fine," she sighed impatiently, ticking the list off on her fingers "You can bake and cook, so my mami will love you; you like sports so my papi will like you; Benny and Olivia will like you simply because they know how happy you make me; and Luke? Well, Luke likes everyone." She shrugged before pulling Quinn into a hug "I promise that no matter what happens this weekend, I will still love you, and we will still be happy together, and we will still be the hottest couple in New York." Quinn giggled as Santana pressed a kiss to her temple "Although, our bags have gone round like four times, and I don't know how many chances we get to claim them. So let's get our shit together."

The two girls grabbed their small weekend bags, lifting them onto the trolley Santana had insisted on using, and set off towards the arrivals lounge. Quinn rolled her eyes as Santana rushed down the thickly-carpeted corridor, "How come _I'm_ pushing?"

"Because this way I can find them quicker" Santana smiled sweetly, but Quinn frowned,

"You realise we're like the last people? I'm pretty sure there isn't going to be a crowd of people. Besides, you insisted we got this thing!" she moaned as they reached the lounge, but Santana had already increased her pace, before dropping onto one knee as a familiar face ran towards them, and Quinn grinned.

"Auntie San!" the boy screamed as he ran towards them, and Santana spread her arms wide as the boy fell into them, standing up and swinging him into the air with a grin,

"Mi pequeño hombre!" she squealed, siting him on her hip, "You just get taller and taller; I only saw you at Christmas and now you're like The Incredible Hulk! Look at those arms, you're ripped!" Luke laughed and flexed his muscles with a growl as the other two family members joined them.

"Hi, you must be Quinn!" the older woman grinned, and the blonde nodded.

"Yes, Mami this is Quinn; Quinn this is Mami Lopez" she smiled, and her mother pulled Quinn into a hug,

"Please, call me Gloria!" she grinned, and Quinn nodded,

"And I'm Olivia, Santana's sister-in-law" she smiled and Quinn nodded as she shook the offered hand.

"Auntie San, is that your special friend?" Luke asked, smiling at Quinn, who grinned back as Santana nodded,

"Yeah, little man. This is Quinn." She pointed at the blonde,

"I'm Luke" he grinned, holding out his hand imitating his mother, and Quinn shook it formally with a smile.

"It's nice to meet you, Luke. I'm Quinn." she grinned, and he frowned thoughtfully,

"Do I call you Auntie Quinn? Like Uncle Jack and Uncle Garret?" she stared at the boy for a moment, clearing her throat quietly as she glanced at Santana. The brunette was stood silently, refusing to make eye contact with the blonde, who cursed inwardly,

"Um, yeah. You can if you want to" she shrugged with a grin, and he nodded his understanding as she stared at Santana, attempting to gage a reaction, but the brunette had turned to look over her shoulder, hiding her grin. Quinn turned back to the women with a polite smile "Thank you so much for having me to visit, it's lovely to meet you." she picked her bag off the trolley and Olivia glanced at Santana and Luke, who were now chatting away obliviously, before rolling her eyes and picking up Santana's bag.

"No, it's no worry, we're happy to finally meet you! Sanny talks about you all the time!" the older woman grinned as they left the airport.

"Oh really?" Quinn raised an eyebrow as she glanced at the brunette, who was suddenly glaring at them

"Mami!" she hissed under her breath, turning red as she turned back to the boy to hide her face.

"So how long are you staying for?" Olivia asked as they reached the car, Santana placing the boy in his car seat and buckling him in

"Until Tuesday!" she called as they loaded the bags into the trunk, before turning back to the boy "Are you all buckled in?" he nodded with a grin, but she narrowed her eyes and raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure? Even if there was an earthquake, or an asteroid?"

"Yes" he frowned as Quinn watched from behind Santana

"Really? I think we need to test this…" she nodded seriously, before grabbing the booster seat and shaking it from side to side, screaming wildly as she did so, and Quinn watched fondly at the pair, laughing and squealing loudly, until Santana stopped, crossing to the other side of the car to slide in, the blonde following after her with a grin "What?" she frowned, noticing the blonde staring

"Nothing" she shrugged slyly, and Santana raised an eyebrow

"What are you smiling at?" she spoke quietly as they left the airport

"You're cute." Quinn smiled, and Santana blushed, rolling her eyes before turning away with a grin.

-ooOoo-

"I can't believe you didn't tell me how completely adorable you are." Quinn shook her head as she sat on the bed, watching the brunette potter about. They had arrived at the house a few minutes ago, and were unpacking in Santana's bedroom before her father and brother arrived home from the store and they had dinner.

"What do you _mean_, _Auntie Q_?" Santana asked pointedly, and Quinn looked down bashfully as the brunette placed their empty bags in the closet, before lying on the bed next to the blonde.

"You and Luke. You're such a cutie." she grinned, turning to rest on one elbow, gazing down at the brunette,

"Well it's hard not to be, he's so much fun! In fact, I wonder where he is…" she gazed at the ceiling thoughtfully and Quinn laughed

"You're such a kid. Come on, let's go downstairs." She stood up and leaned over to pull the brunette to her feet, but Santana tugged at her arm and dragged her down instead.

"One minute" she replied, grinning with a slight shake of her head before sliding one hand into Quinn's hair and pulling her down for a long kiss until Quinn pulled away,

"Are you allowed girls in your room with the door closed?" she asked cheekily, and Santana rolled her eyes

"It's okay, my parents are at work," she mimicked with a grin, until the blonde leaned in for another kiss.

-ooOoo-

"Hey, Mrs Lopez. Can I help with anything?" Quinn smiled a she stepped into the kitchen, and the woman grinned at her,

"Oh, please call me Gloria! And we're having lasagne, so if you want to do the salad, it'd be a great help? Where's Santana?" she asked, turning back to her dish, and Quinn shook her head fondly,

"She's playing with Luke in the den." She replied, crossing to the fridge.

"As if I needed to ask. So, how are you, Quinn? I have to say, I was kind of surprised when Santana asked if she could bring a guest. I don't mean to be rude it's just…well never mind." She shrugged with a shake of her head, and Quinn raised an amused eyebrow.

"I'm fine, thank you. So, she's never brought a girl home? Ever?" she frowned slightly and the older woman shook her head,

"No, never." She shrugged, "So, tell me about yourself?" she smiled politely and Quinn frowned, alarmed for a moment before swallowing.

"Um, okay…so…" she sighed, "Well…I own a bakery in New York, which is how I met Santana; I'm originally from Georgia and moved to t city a few years ago with my brother. I'm a Gemini, and I like cooking, baking and long walks on the beach." She joked, and Gloria laughed,

"Very smart." She rolled her eyes "So you have your own business? That must be interesting?

"Yeah, it is. Aside from having to be awake for more hours than any human ever should be, I love it." She laughed "I have the freedom to make whatever cupcakes I want, and I love backing; I meet some fairly interesting people;" she jerked her head in the direction of the den with a raised eyebrow, and Gloria laughed "and I still get challenged when people wants specific orders so…it's always interesting."

"I can see why Santana likes you, you're sassy." The older woman nodded as she slid the lasagne into the oven while Quinn finished the salad, frowning,

"Sassy?" she questioned and Gloria shrugged casually.

"You're smart and funny. Feisty. She needs someone like you, keep her on her toes."

-ooOoo-

"Auntie Q, come play!" the boy shouted as Quinn poked her head around the door of Santana's bedroom, where Santana and Luke were sat on the floor amongst an array of toys,

"Okay, guys," Quinn grinned "I've been sent to tell you it is officially bed-time." She held up her hands defensively at the groans and whines of protest, "Don't shoot the messenger!"

"Why? Can't we have five more minutes?"

"No, come on. If Mami and Papi say so then it's bedtime."

"Spoil sport."

"Don't worry, Auntie San. We can play tomorrow" the small boy shrugged as Quinn shook her head incredulously at the brunette,

"Congratulations, Luke. You're more responsible than Auntie San" she grinned, and Santana scowled with a self-conscious blush, "Come on, the sooner you get into bed, the more stories you get?" Quinn shrugged and the boy grinned as he ran from the room.

"God, you're such a boring adult." Santana rolled her eyes she climbed to her feet, "Auntie Q ruining the fun!"

"Yeah well, now I'm gonna go make up for it. I have bedtime stories to read." She replied seriously before pecking Santana on the nose and turning on her heel to leave the room.

Santana remained in the room to clear away all of the toys, leaving a few minutes later. She heard the blonde's voice coming from the other bedroom, and ran downstairs with the box of toys, depositing it in the den before returning upstairs. She crossed the hall quietly as she heard Quinn finishing one story, and Luke choosing another, reaching the door of her brother's bedroom and peeking inside.

She watched the two figures in the bed, grinning in the warm glow from the lamp by the bed. Quinn was sat beside Luke on the bed, who was snuggled around her arm as she read to him, pointing at the pictures and laughing at the boy's comments as she went along. Santana rested her head on the doorframe as she watched through the gap round the door, swallowing the lump in her throat as Quinn and Luke giggled from inside the room. She tuned out, listening to the blonde's voice but not her words, smiling fondly at the sound of Luke's tinkling giggles, until she heard Quinn finish the story. She stood frozen for a moment, debating between running away to avoid being caught listening in, and going in to say goodnight, until the blonde caught her attention once again. Luke was climbing under the covers and Quinn pulled them tight up to his chin, obligingly checking under the bed and in all of the closets for monsters before kissing the boy on the forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Lukey" she grinned as she turned to leave the room, and he grinned,

"Night Auntie Q!" he called back, and Santana took a deep breath as the blonde reached the door, her breath catching in her throat as she turned to rest her back on the wall, watching fondly as Quinn closed the door with a soft click, glancing at the brunette.

"Hey" she whispered with a smile, "I just put Luke to bed, I'm sorry. Did you want to say goodnight?" she winced apologetically but Santana shook her head as she reached out to take the blonde's hands, who side-stepped to place a leg either side of Santana's, leaning in for a gentle kiss,

"No it's fine. I'll see him tomorrow. You're adorable, by the way." Santana whispered back, and Quinn raised an eyebrow wordlessly, "Reading to Luke, and checking under the bed and in the closet for monsters. You're amazing."

"Well," she shrugged, smiling fondly "Luke's pretty amazing."

"I know, right?" Santana grinned, "Anyway, come on let's go downstairs."

-ooOoo-

"So, what do you think of my crazy-ass family?" Santana grinned as they changed for bed.

"I think they're not _half_ as crazy as mine." Quinn raised an eyebrow before grinning as she slid into the bed, scooting across to the spot beside the wall, "No, they're all lovely. They're so nice; I'm almost worried that they secretly hate me." She replied thoughtfully, and Santana shook her head as she climbed in beside the blonde, who stretched an arm across the bed. The brunette snuggled down under the covers, intertwining their legs and resting her head on the pillow, while Quinn wrapped her arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

"No, they definitely don't. Aside from Olivia pulling me aside to comment on how pretty and 'wrinkle-free' you are, by the way she's totally jealous of your hair." she rolled her eyes "Everyone has had nothing but nice things to say about you; especially my dad. And you are officially Luke's hero."

"What, why?" she giggled,

"_Two_ bedtime stories? Damn, girl, you'll be stealing my title of world's best aunt!" Santana glared jokingly and Quinn giggled with a small blush.

"Well, you know I love my Dr Seuss!" she shrugged with a giggle, and Santana placed a small kiss on the tip of her nose, making the blonde scrunch her face up, and Santana immediately darted forwards to place a quick kiss on the wrinkle at the bridge of Quinn's nose. She pulled back, gazing thoughtfully as her eyes travelled over the blonde's features, and Quinn watched her silently with a small smile. Santana brought her hand up to cup the blonde's cheek, brushing her thumb along Quinn's cheekbone as her breathing turned shallow, and she swallowed the lump in her throat as she took a deep breath,

"I love you." She breathed with a small smile, and Quinn bit her lip through a bashful grin, averting her eyes for a moment as she blushed under Santana's scrutiny, before looking up into the girl's dark eyes once again, and her expression softened as she replied,

"I love you."

"No, I mean it." Santana shook her head slightly and Quinn raised a bemused eyebrow,

"Yeah, so do I." She frowned, and Santana blushed at her mistake before correcting herself.

"Of course. I know you do, I just meant...I love you so much. And I'm so happy, and lucky. And you're amazing with Luke! And my family loves you, and well...hell, you're Auntie Q!" she shrugged with a smile "I just...I can't really believe it. I'm babbling, I'm sorry..."

She trailed off and looked down before bringing her hand up to rub at the frown on her forehead, but Quinn pulled her hand away clasping it tightly in her own with a gentle smile, before quirking an eyebrow, prompting the brunette to continue.

"It's just that...I can't really believe it. Because, I dunno, everything's just sort of fallen into place this weekend, you know? Like, I'm so happy having you here, and seeing you with Luke and my mami clearly _loves _you." she rolled her eyes with a grin, and Quinn brought their hands up to kiss Santana's fingers, nibbling gently on her knuckle as the brunette shrugged, "I'm just...I'm glad you're here. I'm happy. It just seems...it's kind of perfect." She smiled and Quinn lifted her hand from around Santana's shoulder to rake her fingers through her hair with a smile.

"I love you. And I'm glad I came. My first 'meet-the-parents' hasn't gone nearly as horribly as I imagined. Which I should have known; because your family couldn't really have been_ that_ bad, I mean, they raised _you_. And you're pretty awesome." Santana blushed and Quinn placed a soft kiss on her forehead, "I'm glad you invited me. I'm glad your family like me. I'm glad to be _Auntie Q_. I'm glad you're happy, because you make me so happy. I'm glad you love me." She smiled as she gave a small shrug, gazing at the brunette contentedly before resting her forehead on Santana's with a happy sigh.

-ooOoo-

"Auntie San! Auntie Q! Auntie San! Auntie Q-" they heard Luke before they saw him as he came barrelling down the hallway and burst into the room.

"Luke, don't!...sorry guys!" her brother called from the hallway as Luke threw himself onto the bed,

"It's time to wake up because it's ten o'clock and there's an Easter egg hunt in the park." Luke demanded as he wriggled between the two girls. Quinn yawned and pulled her self up to sit facing the boy, while Santana rubbed her eyes with a groan.

"Sorry, Q. I forgot to tell him not to come in on a morning." She winced as she apologized but Quinn shook her head, it's okay Luke, don't worry. I was already awake, just waiting for Auntie Lazy-Bones to get up!" she exchanged a disapproving look with the small boy, who shook his head at Santana.

"Did you stay up too late, Auntie San?" he asked and she raised an eyebrow as she looked between them,

"Since when did you two gang up on me? Is that coz she's your new favourite, pequeño hombre?" Santana asked, her voice dripping in jealousy, and Luke grinned as he wriggled over to Quinn, who immediately pulled him into a cuddle as she smirked at Santana.

"Ha ha, I'm the new favourite!" she boasted with a giggle, and Santana pouted,

"Luke, just a quick question...who's going to the Easter egg hunt?" she raised an eyebrow and he frowned,

"Everyone. We're all going because we're going home tomorrow and we're having the day together as a family because we might not see each other again until summer." He rambled, clearly quoting his father, and Santana nodded.

"I see. So, who _wouldn't_ be going if...for example..."she narrowed her eyes dangerously "I locked them in the closet?" she pounced forward, grabbing the boy and scooping him into a fireman's lift before jumping off the bed, turning towards the closet,

"Auntie Q! Save me!" Luke shouted, reaching out for the blonde on the bed, and Quinn threw herself onto her stomach on the bed, clasping her arms around Santana's waist and anchoring the girl down.

"Stop ganging up on me!" she whined, shouting over the boy's squeals, before she stopped struggling "You know something...Auntie Q and I were never in competition until _you _came along, Lukey-Boy. Maybe we're ganging up on the wrong person...?" she raised an eyebrow at Quinn, who grinned as the boy shook his head furiously.

"You know, I think Auntie San might be right..." she nodded seriously, watching Luke dangerously and he began to squeal again,

"No! Auntie Q, no!"

"Yes, Auntie Q!" Santana grinned as she threw Luke down on the bed and Quinn held his arms above his head as Santana began to tickle his ribs, ignoring his screams of protest as she blew a raspberry onto the boy's stomach. She laughed, or squealed, for a few moments until another voice alerted them, and they all fell silent as they turned to the doorway, where Olivia stood leaning against the doorframe, arms folded and eyebrow raised,

"Sometimes I _really _wonder who the adults are here." She remarked with a small smile, until Luke shouted again.

"Mommy! Save me!" he reached out towards her and the girls watched as she narrowed her eyes slightly with a small smirk,

"Who's your favourite?" she asked, and Luke giggled.

"You!" he grinned, and she nodded with a smile

"I thought so. Come here, you!" she wrestled Luke from Santana's grasp, sitting him on her hip as she looked between the girls dangerously, and Quinn chuckled, "That's right. No one messes with my man." She nodded seriously and Luke joined in, nodding as he glared at the girls, and Olivia winked before turning to the door, "Starts at eleven, ladies. We'll leave you to get ready..." she wandered off with the small boy, and Santana grinned as she swung the door to a close before stretching with a large yawn.

"Well, that's one way to wake you up on a morning!" Quinn laughed, and Santana nodded,

"Who needs coffee when you have a small boy?"

Quinn grinned her agreement as her phone buzzed from the nightstand, and she frowned as she leaned over to pick it up, glancing up as Santana undressed before checking her messages, "It's from Jess..." she mumbled as she opened it before reading it aloud "'Where are you? I've been calling for days.'"

"Those bitches haven't even text me!" Santana complained, but Quinn snorted, tapping out a reply quickly.

"Well she clearly hasn't; we've been here three days and she hasn't called once." She laughed, "'I have huge news, it's about Rachel!'"

"Oh my God, is it about her and Puck?" Santana turned excitedly, eyes wide as she stared at the phone in Quinn's hand,

"I don't know I'm asking!" Quinn replied with a grin, until the phone buzzed in her hand "'Mystery Man (possibly Puck?) has stayed the last two nights, but he always leaves before we even wake up, let alone get to meet him.' I think it's Puck."

"Yeah, me too. But I think they're more serious than fuck-buddies, otherwise she'd just tell us. We all know Berry can't keep a secret for shit."

Quinn nodded and they dressed quickly, heading downstairs for breakfast with the family, and after much squabbling over coats, general disorder, complications and arguments between which cars to take and who was driving, and Santana and Quinn accidentally putting odd shoes on Luke, they all managed to leave the house half an hour later, and reached the park just before eleven.

-ooOoo-

"Auntie Q, Auntie San!" the boy came running towards them with a scowl as they wandered hand-in-hand around the park.

"What's up, little man?" Quinn asked with a frown, and Luke sighed,

"I can't find the last one!" h harrumphed, and Santana raised an eyebrow, shaking her head slightly.

"What do you mean the last one? I thought hey were just scattered everywhere?"

"No, there's clues and you have to find all the eggs and write down the letter on each sign and then you get an egg for each one you get right!" he explained impatiently, and Santana nodded, chastised, as Quinn giggled,

"_Yeah_, Auntie San. God!" she rolled her eyes before looking back to the boy, "Don't worry, Luke, we'll help!" she crouched down on the grass, gesturing to her back and he clambered on as Santana took his piece of paper from him.

"What's your clue, Luke?" she frowned, and he pointed to the paper,

"Bottom of the sheet."

Quinn leaned over to see as Santana read the clue aloud, before they exchanged a confused frown.

"Keeps the lawn looking nice...?" Quinn frowned, and Santana stared around them with a bemused frown, until she caught Luke's disappointed expression and grinned cheerily,

"Okay!" she announced, "Lets...look on the grass!" she turned on her heel and set off towards the large expanse of lawn, and Quinn followed her with fake enthusiasm. A few minutes later, Luke sighed heavily as she looked over his shoulder at the surrounding area, while Santana shrugged at Quinn, who grimaced, clueless.

"Okay so, no luck on the actual lawn..." the blonde bit her lip "So Luke, what keeps lawns looking nice?" she smiled, but Luke frowned,

"Um...flowers?"

"Perfect! You're so smart!" Santana grinned "So there must be flowers somewhere, this is a park!"

Quinn raised an eyebrow, "Uh, I think there was a vegetable patch near the gate we came in through? Maybe there's a flower bed there?" she grimaced at Santana, as Luke couldn't see her face, and Santana nodded confidently.

"Yes! Good idea, Auntie Q! Let's look there, yeah Luke?" the boy nodded with a grin and they headed back in the direction of the entrance, but immediately frowned as they reached the vegetable patch. Santana puffed her cheeks up before blowing out a long breath.

"You don't know, do you, Auntie San?" Luke asked knowingly, and Quinn grimaced uneasily, but Santana shook her head happily,

"No, Luke, I don't. But we have you, me, and Quinn, so I'm sure we'll find it soon! Where else could it be?" she smiled happily and the other two frowned, Quinn hoisting Luke higher on her back as she bit her lip.

"Well, how about trees?" the blonde shrugged "I mean, they're like landscape and stuff. They make lawns look pretty?"

"I don't know, Auntie Q..." Luke frowned sceptically, but Santana shrugged with a smile,

"She could be right! Let's go look, there's a big patch of trees over there, and another there. The last sign might be in either!" she gestured to the trees and Luke nodded reluctantly as they began to walk in that direction.

Ten minutes later, after inspecting both patches of trees, almost to the point where Santana was about to climb up the tallest one to get a bird's-eye view, they gave up on the hunt for the last clue. Luke shrugged, sighing slightly as they headed in the direction of the entrance to hand in the rest of the egg-hunt sheet. Quinn tried to calm Santana down as they walked, but the brunette burst into the small gate-house office angrily.

"Hey!" she glared at the guy behind the counter, who immediately stood up with a dopey grin. He was huge, "We found all the clues."

She slid the sheet over to him and he recoiled from her glare slightly, before frowning down at the sheet.

"Um...no, I'm sorry, you didn't-" She smiled politely at Quinn and gave Luke an apologetic look, and the boy glared, mimicking Santana

"Yes. We did." She interrupted, and Quinn raised an eyebrow, uncomfortably shifting Luke higher on her back,

"No, you didn't get the last clue. I can't give you the eggs because you didn't complete it." He shrugged slightly, frowning as she glared at him, "I'm sorry, is there a problem?" he asked, confused, and she glared at him again before leaning in to read his name-badge,

"Yes..._Finn_, there is a very big problem." She scowled "My nephew couldn't _find_ the last clue, and neither could we. So what do you think you're doing setting clues that are so hard to find then refusing prizes? This is supposed to be a game for _children_!" she slapped her palm on the desk in front of him and he stared, wide-eyed with shock as he held his hands up defensively.

"Look, I'm sorry ma'am-"

"Don't call me ma'am!" she interrupted and he nodded.

"I'm sorry, but..." he looked between the three of them before pointing to the window next to him, and they all turned their heads to look outside.

Next to the window was a large, shiny lawn-mower, with a large picture of an egg stuck on it.


	37. Mystery Man

**Hey guys. I'm REALLY sorry it's taken me so long to update, but life is really busy right now. So updates will probably be less frequent now (although hopefully won't take as long as this one) and they'll probably be a few a week instead of a few a day haha. So really sorry about the wait, but thank you for your kind comments and for sticking with me! You are all lovelies!**

**Also,it's Quinntana week, and lookatthestar is doing a fanmix (inc fan art) for this fic! Which I am over the moon about! So you should go check it out, because the fan art is awesome, and I'm excited to see the mix :D**

**Thank you!**

* * *

><p>"How can <em>such<em> a small boy be so tiring?" Quinn chuckled as she flopped back onto the bed, her hair fanning out around her.

"I know, right? And you wondered why I slept for an age after Christmas!" Santana replied as she changed into her pyjamas, "But if it helps, we're leaving before them in the morning, so _we_ can go in and wake _him_ up?"

"Yes. I'm gonna go in and throw toys at him." Quinn grinned, reaching out her arms for Santana to pull her up off the bed, and the brunette slid under the covers behind her as she began to change.

"Have you had fun this weekend?" Santana bit her lip, propping herself up on her pillows as she watched Quinn, who grinned,

"Yes! It's been awesome, I've had lots of fun and I got to spend some time with my beautiful," she leaned over for a quick kiss, "incredible, funny, smart, _adorable _girlfriend, and apparently I suck at treasure hunts, but I love you and I've had an amazing time."

"Good" Santana grinned "I love you."

-ooOoo-

"I hate you." Quinn groaned as they sat in the departures lounge.

"What? Why?" Santana frowned, eyes wide as she turned to the blonde, who huffed.

"Couldn't you have got a later flight? It's seven am!" Quinn pouted, and Santana held out her arm for the blonde, who leaned over the chair partition to nestle into the crook of her shoulder.

"You get up at six on a regular basis to bake, why are you complaining?" Santana giggled, pressing a kiss to the blonde's hair with a subtle inhale.

"Because I'm tired!" Quinn scowled, "And that's because I _have_ to!"

"Jesus I thought it was me who hated mornings. Well I could leave you in Ohio instead?" Santana rolled her eyes before gazing up at the ceiling as she listened to the announcement, "Oh. Come on, that's us!" she stood up and dragged Quinn by the hand towards the gate "You can sleep on the plane, cutie." She grinned at the blonde, who smiled back against her will,

"How do you put up with me?" Quinn grinned, and Santana grimaced thoughtfully,

"You know…I have _no_ idea." She frowned slightly as she handed over the tickets, and the blonde slapped her arm playfully.

"No plane snuggles for you." She glared, and Santana's jaw dropped, horrified, before she pouted.

"You suck, Fabray."

A few minutes later and they were settled on the plane, Santana's foot bouncing up and down impatiently whilst Quinn had her nose stuck in the safety manual.

…_we request that all __mobile phones__, pagers, radios and remote controlled toys be turned off for the full duration of the flight…_

"Santana." Quinn didn't look up from the manual, and the brunette frowned.

"What?"

"Your phone isn't turned off." Santana watched her, but the blonde didn't look up,

"Yeah, it is. I did it earlier."

"No, it's still turned on." She shook her head slightly, and Santana raised an eyebrow,

"I did it before we got on. I guarantee it is turned off." She said confidently, and Quinn rolled her eyes, finally dropping the manual and looking at the brunette. Santana smirked knowingly and reached into her bag, pulling her phone out and thrusting it in Quinn's face, "See? Off." She pressed a few buttons to prove her point, and the screen immediately lit up. Quinn raised an eyebrow with a knowing smile and placed the manual back in the pouch, watching out of the window as the seatbelt sign flashed, but Santana was staring at her phone with a frown.

"Turn it off!" Quinn hissed, and Santana rolled her eyes,

"I am! But Britts has text me. There, off." She shoved the phone in Quinn's face again before dropping it into her bag, and Quinn immediately snuggled into her shoulder with a yawn as the plane started to take off.

"Oh? Saying what?" she asked quietly and Santana dropped her head onto the blonde's,

"Apparently Mystery Man was there again last night, and the last three nights."

"Hmm, I see. Sounds serious. I vote we just stake out their apartment until he comes out." Quinn giggled and Santana snorted,

"We don't need to. I'm telling you, I bet its Puck."

"Wanna bet?" Quinn lifted her head to smirk skeptically at the brunette, who raised an eyebrow,

"Yeah. Ten dollars." She said confidently and Quinn narrowed her eyes before nodding,

"You're on." They shook hand as Quinn leaned up to place a soft kiss on Santana's temple before dropping back down into her embrace and falling asleep shortly after.

-ooOoo-

"So it all went well?" Rachel asked, greeting her with a grin as she slid her coat off and hung it on the back of the chair opposite Santana. It was a few days since the girls had arrived back in New York, but they had all been so busy that Santana and Quinn had barely seen the others.

"Yes, it was awesome!" Santana nodded, sliding Rachel's drink across the table as the shorter girl sat down, before frowning slightly "Where are the others, by the way?"

"Work. They're both signed on the same music video, so they're pretty much coming and going in unison right now." Rachel shrugged "They might come by later, what about Quinn?"

"Baking then seeing Sam. She was supposed to see him at the weekend but obviously she couldn't." Rachel nodded her understanding, gazing around the bar as Santana continued, "Talking of things completely unrelated to each other," Rachel frowned, "Who's your mystery man?" she grinned, and Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Oh, not this again."

"Yes, this again. Spill."

"No. It's nothing, it's not important." Rachel shook it off with a shrug, but Santana shook her head slowly,

"No. You're not getting out of it, who is he?" she demanded, and Rachel rolled her eyes dramatically, slumping her shoulders as she looked accusingly at Santana.

"Have you ever thought maybe there's a reason I'm not telling you all?" she held her hands out, palms facing upwards, and Santana frowned disapprovingly.

"Yeah but…this is _me_." She pouted "You have to tell me. You always tell me."

"Well I _will_!" Santana grinned in triumph, "_When_ I'm ready!" her face fell, and she sighed, throwing in an eye-roll for good measure, but let it go, asking about Rachel's auditions instead. An hour or so later, and two familiar girls slumped through the door, still in their dancing clothes and looking fairly miserable, and Santana and Rachel exchanged a worried frown as they sat down at the table.

"Hey, what's up?" Santana raised an eyebrow as she looked between Jess and Brittany, who dropped her head onto the table with a groan as Jess sighed.

"This job is going to kill both of us." She replied simply, her jaw tensed, "The director is a total bitch, everything has to be done fifty fucking times, and she wants us in at six tomorrow. I swear I'm going to fucking kill her." Jess growled before catching the attention of the waiter and ordering quickly.

"She told me I'm a horrible dancer." Brittany added, still face-down on the table, and Jess scowled as she reached forwards to brush her fingers through the blonde's ponytail.

"What?"

"How?"

Santana and Rachel stared at the blonde in shock, and Brittany shrugged sadly, "I don't know. She just told I'm horrible and she's seen dying antelopes with more rhythm." She finally looked up with a sad pout, and Jess rested her elbows on the table, dropping her chin into her palms with a sigh.

"She kept calling me Julie Andrews." Jess frowned, and shrugged when Santana and Rachel stared at her uncomprehendingly.

"She sounds like a bitch." Santana frowned, and Brittany nodded sadly, but Jess shrugged.

"She is, but she's also an amazing director. Tons of people want to work with Sue Sylvester."

"Sue Sylvester?" Rachel was suddenly alert "Oh God, even _I've_ heard of her." She stared at Jess with mild wonder, and Santana shrugged,

"Well, I haven't heard of anyone who isn't a member of the school board so I'll just imagine." She nodded blandly and the two dancers sighed again. They sat in silence for a few moments until Santana sat up cheerily "Okay so here's something to lighten the mood!" the girls all turned to her expectantly and she looked between Jess and Brittany with a grin, "Mystery Man!" she announced, and the girls suddenly smiled.

"My favourite topic!" Jess chuckled as Rachel sighed, rolling her eyes, "Now, we've finally got past the whole 'there isn't anyone' stage, but we still don't know who he is."

Santana opened her mouth to speak but Brittany held up her hand to cut her off "And before you try to demand the truth, it won't work. We've asked a billion times, she won't tell."

Rachel smiled smugly and Santana scowled "I think it's Puck." She said simply, noting the slight blush that crept up Rachel's neck.

"It is not! Noah and I are just friends now." She defended hotly, and Jess raised an eyebrow,

"But it would explain why you won't tell us." Jess shrugged, and Santana grinned, holding up air quotes

"'maybe there's a reason I'm not telling you' like your little fuck-buddy has become all mushy and romantic?" she smirked, and Rachel rolled her eyes.

"No! It's not Noah!"

"I don't see why you won't just tell us!" Brittany threw her hands up in despair and Rachel growled in frustration,

"Because it's none of your business! It's important to me and I will tell you when I'm ready!" her tone of voice indicated that the subject was closed, and the girls drank in silence for a moment, suitably chastised, until Santana gasped.

"I know!"

"What?" Rachel frowned warily,

"I know who it is!"

"No you don't." Rachel replied confidently, but her worry was clear in her expression.

"Who?" Jess grinned, while Brittany looked skeptical.

"I know why she's so adamant not to tell us. Why it's such a big deal." They stared at her expectantly and she looked between the girls with a triumphant grin, "And it's not Puck."

"Well duh." Rachel rolled her eyes, but her voice wavered,

"It's bigger than if it were Puck….it's a chick!" she grinned, watching Rachel, who scoffed.

"No, Santana. Although you may like to believe that everyone in the world harbors secret homo-erotic intentions, you are wrong. He is, in fact, male." She rolled her eyes, but Santana continued to glare at her suspiciously.

"Oh God, I never even considered it being a girl!" Brittany groaned, "Now there are even _more _people who it could be!"

"No! There aren't! It is _not _a girl!" Rachel insisted, with a huff, and the other girls sighed.

"We will get to the bottom of this." Jess told Rachel dangerously, and Rachel recoiled slightly,

"Sadly, _you're _the one I'm worrying about." She told her, and Jess grinned smugly.

"Yeah, fucking James Bond over there." Santana grumbled, and Brittany grinned proudly at Jess.

"I can't help it if you're all terrible at keeping secrets!" she shrugged with a grin.

-ooOoo-

"Hey gorgeous!" Santana grinned as she stepped into the blonde's apartment, "How's Sam?"

"He's great!" Quinn smiled back from the couch "Thankfully Sugar wasn't there so we just got to hang out and stuff." She shrugged as Santana dropped down onto the couch beside her, immediately laying along the full length and draping her legs across Quinn's lap, gently running her fingers through the blonde's hair with a small smile.

"Sounds awesome. I missed you tonight; the girls can't wait to see you."

"I know, I'm seeing Jess tomorrow or Friday I think, hopefully I'll see Rach and Britt too. Any news on Rachel's guy?" she dropped her head back against the couch cushion, rolling her neck to gaze at the brunette.

"Not really. She still refuses to say anything. Although we decided it could also be a girl." Santana smirked, but Quinn frowned thoughtfully,

"Nah, Rachel's too…straight." She chuckled "I think it's definitely a guy. It's probably someone we don't even know!"

"No, if we didn't know him then she would just tell us. I'm telling you, it's Puck."

"Or maybe one of her exes? Has she ever had a bad ex-boyfriend?" Quinn pondered, and Santana snorted

"Has she ever not had a bad ex-boyfriend, more like? Her exes suck." She giggled, before biting her lip "Suppose it could be one of them." She stroked her thumb down Quinn's face before sitting up, cupping Quinn's face and leaning in for a gentle kiss "I am so tired." She said simply, and Quinn nodded.

"Yes. We can ponder Rachel's love life tomorrow, for now its bed time." She pushed Santana's legs off her lap, standing up with a wide stretch, and Santana quickly pressed her lips to the slit of exposed skin of Quinn's back as her t-shirt rode up. Quinn giggled at the sensation and squirmed away with a grin but Santana captured her hand and tugged her back. She pulled Quinn close, kneeling on the couch and wrapping her arms around the blonde's waist, staring up at her with a smile before dropping her head and placing soft kisses up and down the length of Quinn's collarbone. The blonde cupped Santana's face in her hands, tilting her head back to lean in for a long kiss, before she pulled Santana off the couch. She turned her back and took both of Santana's hands in her own, pulling Santana's arms to wrap around her waist, and leaned her head back to rest on Santana's shoulder with a contented sigh, as they wandered down the hall to the bedroom.

-ooOoo-

"Brittany, I can't!" Jess hissed in the darkness, prodding the blonde.

"What?" she groaned, rubbing at her eyes with a yawn "What are you talking about?"

"I just heard Rachel's guy go in her room. And I can't just lay here listening anymore. It's killing me!" she whispered furiously and Brittany giggled

"Stop listening then, you perv. Just go to sleep, maybe we'll see him in the morning." She shrugged, rolling over the face the brunette, but Jess shook her head.

"No. We won't and you_ know_ we won't. Because we never do! I'm going to go sit in the hall and wait, and find out who it is!" she made to crawl out of the bed, but Brittany grabbed her wrist and pulled her back,

"No! No you won't!" Brittany hissed, pulling her onto the bed and wrapping her arms around the struggling girl.

"I have to know! I can't do it anymore!" she threw her hands up in frustration before slumping back against the stronger blonde.

"Waiting in the hall makes you into a stalker, sweetie." Brittany mumbled gently, dropping a kiss to the girl's bare shoulder, "But we will find out soon."

"How? He's always gone by morning!" Jess dropped her head into her hands with a groan and Brittany giggled, rolling her eyes.

"I don't know, but we will. Now, we're up in three hours. Please go to sleep." She chuckled an Jess sighed,

"Yes. I know. Okay." She slumped back onto the bed, crawling under the covers and snuggling close to the blonde, who squeezed her tight against her with a grin.

"No! Wait, I have a plan!" Jess grinned and leaned over to grab her phone, immediately sending an identical text to Quinn and Santana, and Brittany smiled with a nod as she read the text over Jess' shoulder.

-ooOoo-

"Okay, Rach, we're going now!" Jess called from the living room, and Rachel stuck her head around the door to wave them off.

"Sure you don't wanna come, Hobbit?" Santana raised an eyebrow but Rachel shook her head,

"Star Trek marathon? No thanks." She rolled her eyes and the girls shrugged, waving their goodbyes as they left the apartment.

"So, what now?" Quinn whispered as they walked down the hall.

"You don't have to whisper" Jess laughed "There's at least four walls between us and her."

"Except Q's right. What now?" Santana shrugged, and Jess smiled knowingly,

"I dunno. Bar for half an hour?" she shrugged, and Brittany grinned, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

"Then we sneak back in and put a face to a name!" she whooped, but Quinn frowned.

"Actually, then we put a face _and_ a name to...a voice?" she raised an eyebrow at Jess and Brittany, who bit her lip thoughtfully,

"Actually, we don't have a voice either this time. He's always silent." she frowned,

"Shame the same can't be said for Rachel." Brittany grimaced.

"So...are we sure Rachel isn't just...picking her own berries?" Santana asked with a small grimace, mirrored by Quinn, but Jess shook her head,

"No, we hear him coming in and out."

"Wanky" Santana smirked, and Brittany giggled while Quinn rolled her eyes,

"Okay, so we go to the bar and come back. But what makes you so _sure_ he'll be there?" she asked skeptically, and Jess nodded knowingly.

"Because, we're all out for at _least_ five hours; what would _you_ do?" she raised and eyebrow at Quinn, who tilted her head before nodding thoughtfully.

"Will we even know by his voice?" she asked, shaking her head slightly, and Santana shrugged,

"I suppose we'll know if it's Puck, or a girl, or one of her exes so...yeah?"

"Yeah, hopefully we'll know. Oh, but no drinking at the bar!" Brittany pointed at them in turn with a stern expression, and Santana's jaw dropped

"What, _why_?"

"We need clear heads!" Brittany defended, but Santana rolled her eyes knowingly.

"Brittany what if it's one of her _exes_? Do _you_ want to face one of them sober?" she raised and eyebrow and Brittany looked horrified,

"So first round's on me!"

-ooOoo-

"Shh! Q you have the footsteps of a mammoth!" Jess hissed as they crept along.

"Why are we crouching down?" Brittany whispered with a frown, "We're in the hall, there's a wall between us. Rachel still won't see us if we stand up."

"Because we're being sneaky. And you crouch when you're being sneaky." Santana shrugged, and Brittany rolled her eyes.

"I still don't understand why we're whispering and crouching. This isn't the Great Escape." Quinn grumbled as they reached the door, and Jess started flapping her hands,

"Okay shh! No talking from now on!" they gathered in a circle around the door, looking at each other warily, until Brittany sighed,

"Ready?" they nodded and Jess took a deep breath as she pulled out her key, sliding it slowly and quietly into the lock. She pushed the door open gently, before pointing to Quinn,

"Blondie, you have the thinnest head. Get in there." She pointed at the rack and the blonde rolled her eyes.

"Okay, General." She crawled forwards on her hands and knees, "By the way, this is stupid." She inched her head around the door before motioning to the girls and pushing the door open slowly, slipping through and crawling quickly to the couch, with Jess, Brittany and Santana following single-file and closely behind. They reached the couch and stayed crouched down, Santana joining them a few moments later after closing he door as quietly as possible, and waited, listening intently. A low hum of voices was coming from the bedroom, but the voices were unrecognizable, and she girls looked at each other unsurely.

"What do we do?" Brittany asked in a low whisper,

"I don't know" Santana shook her head "I can't tell who it is."

"It sounds male?" Quinn shrugged, and Jess bit her lip thoughtfully,

"I suppose we could get closer?"

"No way! That's too risky!" Santana hissed, eyes wide, but Quinn shrugged

"Well, if we did we could hear better?"

"But what if they come out?" Santana insisted, and Jess shook her head

"If they come out we're screwed either way!" she hissed back, and Brittany rolled her eyes,

"Fuck this. Follow me." She dropped onto all fours and slowly crawled to the end of the room, pressing herself against the wall as the girls followed behind,

"Hey," Quinn giggled in a whisper "Can we do that thing where we all poke our heads round the wall in a column?" she grinned, and Santana smirked as Jess rolled her eyes,

"Not the time!"

"Please" Quinn pouted, and Brittany giggled, stifling it with her fist, but her laughter was contagious and soon all of the girls were pressed flat against the wall, covering their mouths and trying to shush each other.

"Fine, come on." Jess popped her head around the wall, close to the floor, follow by Quinn and Santana, with Brittany at the top, and Quinn grinned triumphantly.

"Thanks."

"I still can't hear." Brittany frowned, her shoulders slumping, and Santana nodded her disappointment,

"I know. But how much closer can we get?" they all retreated back around the wall, crouching in a circle as the though through the situation.

"What if we just go out and come back in, just burst into the apartment and say it was cancelled or something?" Santana shrugged, but Brittany shook her head,

"No we've tried that. She just finds ways around it or pretends her isn't there. We can't just walk into her room." She reasoned, and Jess frowned,

"Unless we sneak up the hall?"

"No way," Santana shook her head insistently, and Brittany nodded her agreement.

"Yeah, besides the hallway floorboards creak and she'd hear us."

"What if one of us went?" Jess suggested, her eyes shining with excitement, and Brittan nodded enthusiastically, but Santana looked alarmed.

Suddenly a loud cry erupted from the room, and their jaws dropped as Santana grinned triumphantly "I knew it! There's a chick in there!" she nodded triumphantly, but Brittany shook her head,

"Shut up, that's Rachel!" she rolled her eyes, but was cut off by a low moan.

"Yup. That was male." Jess nodded with a small grimace,

"Puck?" Santana asked, and Jess shrugged while Brittany shook her head cluelessly. Santana bit her lip thoughtfully before frowning, wide eyed "Hey, where's Q?" she hissed, popping her head around the door and waving her hand to get the other blonde's attention, who was now halfway down the hall, "What are you doing Cupcake Girl?" she demanded, and Quinn shrugged innocently.

"Shh! Key-hole!" she held a finger to her lips before pointing at the door, and the girls watched with bated breath as she crept down the hallway.

"Q!" Brittany breathed, "Fourth board squeaks on the left!" Quinn's hand hovered over the board, and they all gasped as she wobbled, before placing her palm back on the floor and shimmying to the right, continuing down the hall creak-free.

"I can't look!" Jess hissed, retreating back around the wall and burying her face in her hands, and Brittany patted her on the head gently as Santana winced watching the blonde. The remaining three girls all gasped quietly, hiding around the wall as the moans and groans began to increase in volume, and Quinn whirled round to stare at them, wide-eyed with alarm. A few moments later and they all re-appeared around the wall, biting their lips and wincing thoughtfully before waving her on, and Quinn grimaced, her shoulders slumping, before taking a deep breath and continuing to creep down the hall, attempting to block out the noises coming from the room.

She reached the door and the girls watched, motionless with suspense, as Quinn raised herself onto her knees to per through the keyhole. Rachel and the voice both let out a loud cry, and the girls grimaced and wined, until there was a millisecond of pure silence. The girls gazed at Quinn, who steadied herself slightly, narrowing her eyes to focus on the dark room beyond the keyhole, biting her lip with worry. She could make out the silhouette of a figure on the bed, which looked like Rachel, but still couldn't see the mystery man. She craned her neck from side to side, attempting to increase her limited vision, but as she did so a figure stepped in front of the door.

It all happened at once.

Quinn pulled back with a horrified squeak, covering her eyes and curling into a ball on the hall floor. Santana, Jess and Brittany all whirled around, cowering behind the wall once again, and covering their faces as the door handle turned. It swung open and the boy stepped out, his bare shins immediately coming into contact with the side of Quinn's curled up body, and he let out a small cry as he lost his balance, spinning in the air before careering towards the hall floor. He landed on his back with a thump, his legs waving in the air.

"What the fuck was that?"

"Are you okay?" Rachel asked as he scrambled backwards.

Quinn's head shot up at the sound of the boy's voice, and she turned to him with a horrified expression. Behind her Rachel flicked the lamp on, illuminating the scene, and Quinn shrieked at the sight before her, immediately dropping her face back into her hands and turning away with a loud groan, "Oh my _God_! My eyes! _My eyes_! Oh my _God_!" she squirmed on the floor as the boy tried to cover his naked body as best as he could, while Santana, Jess and Brittany popped their heads around the wall.

"What the fuck?" He demanded, staring between the girls with a deep blush, and scrambling back against the wall, covering as much of himself as possible as Rachel clambered from the bed, equally red, and grabbing the sheet to cover herself in the process, while Quinn rocked backwards and forwards on the floor "This is horrible. Why? _Why_?"

Santana crawled over to her, averting her eyes from the boy in the hall before reaching out to the blonde, stroking circles on her back comfortingly, while Rachel threw underwear and a pair of shorts to the boy, who pulled them on quickly, climbing to his feet with a deep blush and standing against the wall, staring from Rachel to the girls. Rachel wrapped the sheet around herself and stood in the doorway, glaring from Jess and Brittany to Santana and Quinn, although the latter was still covering her eyes with a grimace, and Jess and Brittany slowly climbed to their feet, their expressions a mixture of horror, guilt and triumph.

"Someone wanna tell me what the fuck is going on?" Rachel demanded, glaring at the girls and shooting the boy an occasional worried glance.

"We could say the same to you!" Brittany folded her arms, leaning against the wall with a suggestive smirk as she glanced between Rachel and the boy, who both blushed and looked away.

"No, you're kind of the ones who are breaking and entering!" Rachel retorted, but Brittany raised an eyebrow.

"Actually we live here, it's not breaking and entering." She pointed out, but looked down guiltily when Rachel glared at her, as Santana helped Quinn to her feet.

"I need explanations _now_." The blonde stuttered, looking like she was going to be sick, "Because I think we can all agree," she gulped "that I have come off worst in this." She grimaced, and the boy opened his mouth to disagree, but she held up a hand to cut him off. She glanced at him but looked away quickly with a shudder, before leading them all through to the living room "I have just seen something that I never, and I mean _never_, wanted to ever see in my life."

"Oh come on, Rachel's not that bad!" Jess smirked, but Quinn shook her head sadly

"I feel dirty." She whined, and Santana nodded sympathetically.

"I know, honey. So you just sit quiet," suddenly her soft tone was gone, "Because Hobbit and Trouty Mouth have a story to tell!"


	38. Samchel Is On

"It's not what it looks like!" Sam shook his head casually, and the girls all turned to stare at him.

"Seriously?" Santana quirked an eyebrow and Rachel rolled her eyes,

"It's _exactly_ what it looks like!" she replied bitterly, and Quinn glared at Rachel and Sam.

"Look, I've just been through a life-changingly disturbing ordeal, so someone needs to start telling me why, and it had better be good!" she shuddered and Sam rolled his eyes,

"Well maybe if you weren't so nosy you wouldn't be in this mess!" he looked cockily at Quinn, who scoffed,

"Maybe if you weren't such a man-slut!" she shot back, and he gave her a small shove.

"Shut up, that is so not true and you know it! You're just bitter because you're little _mission _didn't work as planned!"

"Well you're just pissed because you're little _secret affair _didn't work as planned!" she mimicked.

"Okay, children!" Santana shifted over Quinn to sit between the two, holding her hands up, "Stop bickering. Jesus, I'm not your mother!" she scowled and they both shuddered, before Sam sighed.

"Well, can I at least put a shirt on please?" he shrugged defensively, and Jess nodded enthusiastically,

"Please feel free. There is not enough hetero in this room for _that _to be acceptable."

He jogged to the bedroom and the four girls turned to Rachel simultaneously with expectant looks, and she shifted uncomfortably under their gaze, before rolling her eyes with a sigh, taking a deep breath as the boy returned and sat by her on the chair.

"Fine. Well, I dunno it's been like...a month? I think?" she frowned, and Brittany snorted,

"Yeah, we know how long it's been."

"Okay, well it's been...however long. We didn't wan to tell anyone because obviously...Sam is still..." she trailed off and Sam turned a deep crimson, and Santana raised an eyebrow,

"Mauling Maleficent?" she prompted helpfully, and Sam scowled at her for a moment, but was greeted with a glare from Santana _and_ Quinn, and he quickly averted his eyes.

"Not exactly. But we're also not really...broken up." He winced and the girls nodded slowly.

"Okay..." Jess said evenly, but Brittany frowned,

"What? Why?" she demanded, uncomprehending, and Santana nodded

"Yeah, why are you messing Rachel around?" she immediately glared at Sam, who began shaking his head furiously, while Quinn shifted uncomfortably at the girl's protective jibe.

"It's not like that!" Sam insisted, and Quinn grimaced,

"Please explain. Because right now it kind of sounds that way. And they can hate you if you're messing Rachel around...but I'm not allowed." She frowned, glancing at Sam before giving her head a small shake and shuddering as she turned back to look at Santana, who patted her knee gently.

"It's not like that!" Rachel insisted, "It really isn't." She shook her head calmly, and the girls looked between them expectantly.

"So..." Jess prompted, and Sam and Rachel exchanged a bashful smile before Sam took a breath,

"Basically, I can't really afford to live alone right now." He blushed, glancing up at the girls in turn, and Brittany frowned back.

"So...wait, does that mean Sugar pays for your apartment?"

"Um...yeah." he blushed, and his shoulder's slumped with embarrassment as he took in the girls' shocked expressions, "Yes. I know it's pathetic, but she earns a lot more than I do. So she pays the extortionate rent" he rolled his eyes "and I pay half the bills. But, I don't want to rent by myself, I kind of want to buy my own place so I can install my own darkroom and then hopefully I'll be able to run my business full-time and be more self-employed." He blushed and the girls nodded slowly.

"And also, Sam is working with..._her_ a lot in the next month, and otherwise it would be horribly...awkward." Rachel winced as she said it, and the girls nodded their understanding.

"I see. So, basically..." Santana looked between Rachel and Sam, "You two are together, but Sam still lives with Bitchface McGee because she pays for everything ?"

"Yes." He nodded bashfully, and Santana looked impressed before he looked up, alarmed "But we don't have sex!" the girls all grimaced and Quinn let out a pitiful groan, and he shifted uncomfortably, "Sorry. I just...wanted to clarify."

"But..." Brittany bit her lip, "Don't you kind of feel bad that you take advantage of Sugar?" she winced, glancing between Rachel and Sam, who both sighed, blushing, but Quinn's head shot up.

"Birttany!" she hissed, her eyes narrowed in warning, and Santana smirked.

"Yeah, she totally fucking deserves it." She chortled as Quinn held up a hand to Sam, who high-fived her warily.

"I think it's awesome." Quinn grinned, "I'm glad you're finally getting rid of her." She smirked and Sam shifted uncomfortably.

"Okay, I have a question!" Jess shifted the attention from Sam, "So we know when you got together, but...how?"

"Ooh, good question!" Brittany nodded enthusiastically, and Jess grinned at the blonde's praise, snuggling in to her slightly before turning her attention back to Rachel and Sam.

"You take this one." Sam glanced at Rachel, pressing himself back against the couch as if trying to make himself unnoticeable, and Rachel gave him a sympathetic smile before taking a breath,

"Right, well. Um...I dunno!" the girls sighed and Rachel frowned, "Okay, so, nothing had really been going on. I mean, obviously I thought Sam was cute, and funny and good-looking-"

"And I thought Rachel was really talented and beautiful." Sam added casually, and the girl gave a bashful grin while the girls awh-ed, before continuing,

"But that's all it was. It was just friendship, because well, that's all it could be, really. I never even considered anything more."

"And what with _Puck_ and everything." Sam added, with more than a hint of begrudging jealousy.

"Then the other day I had a really bad audition, and I was just sort of...wandering really," Rachel shrugged "and Sam was walking in the other direction-"

"I was on my way to a job." He nodded, and Rachel smiled,

"And he bumped into me." she giggled, burying her face in her hands for a moment and Quinn and Jess exchanged a glance, visibly softening, "Literally!" she added.

"Yeah, and I dropped my camera!" Sam blushed as he and Rachel grinned at the memory,

"So obviously we said hi and sorry and whatever, and he said I looked kind of sad. And I told him how badly the audition went, and he said that sucked and asked if I wanted to get a drink or something to talk about it."

"And hopefully cheer her up. But then I remembered I had a job to get to, just some re-takes of a couple of shots for some women's magazine." He shrugged casually and Rachel rolled her eyes,

"Which turned out to be a couple of re-takes for a shoot in _Cosmo_!" she laughed disbelievingly and the girls stared at Sam, who shrugged cluelessly, "So he asked if I wanted to go along, because it would only be quick, and we could go out afterwards. So we went to the studio, and I was watching the shoot, just sat in the corner, and then the model left and everything, and he asked if I wanted to see the darkroom, because he had developed those photos of us. Remember?"

Santana and Jess frowned thoughtfully while Quinn and Brittany nodded, and Sam rolled his eyes, "From when we were at the bar, just after you two..." he trailed off as he indicated Quinn and Santana, and they nodded. _That's why I don't remember the photos. I was sat at home pining while Jess was breaking and entering._ She stiffened slightly and Quinn slid her hand into Santana's, linking their fingers and squeezing slightly, her other hand resting on the bare skin of the brunette's forearm, and Santana gave her a grateful smile.

"The way she tells the next part makes it sound like a movie. It wasn't like a movie." Sam shook his head, gazing fondly at Rachel, who scowled at him with a playful pout,

"So he showed me the darkroom, and the shots were amazing. Seriously, he's an incredible photographer!" Rachel grinned proudly at Sam, who smiled bashfully, and Quinn rolled her eyes,

"Yeah, I know. The story." She prompted, and Rachel shook her head slightly before taking another breath.

-ooOoo-

"_Oh my God, Sam. These are incredible!" Rachel grinned as her eyes scanned the photos. _

_The room was fairly small, with tiled walls and bare floorboards, and was bathed in red light. An enlarger sat on a counter in the corner, beside numerous black boxes, with various large bottles and containers on the shelf below, while a length of string had been pinned from wall to wall, a series of shots similar to that day's pinned to the line. Two walls of the small room were covered in photos, whilst others floated in trays of different liquids and chemicals under the length of string. The smell of developer was thick in the air, and the sound of running water echoed around the room as Rachel stared up at the wall. The two walls had each been split into two sections, with Sam, Dave, Lucy and CJ wrote above the different sections in big black letters. The majority of the two walls were covered by professional shots of various models in different settings, with a huge assortment of different styles, however Sam's section was split in two, half professional photos and half personal shots, and this was where Rachel was looking. _

_There were a range of shots, some full-sized photos whilst others were Polaroid pictures, and Rachel grinned as her eyes fell on an almost life-sized picture of Brittany, mouth open wide in a grin as she held up a cocktail to the camera. There was another of Jess, smiling widely with a Starbucks. A photo of Puck and Sam, eyes narrowed against the sun. One of Quinn and Sam, close o the camera and pulling faces. A few of the gang, including a couple of Quinn and Santana, and Rachel raised an eyebrow as she saw these, but Sam just shrugged sadly, and Rachel turned back to the wall with a fond smile. Next her gaze shifted to a photo of her, and she frowned slightly, leaning in to look closely at the photo._

"_I didn't even know that had been taken!" she giggled, and Sam stepped forward to stand closely beside her, smiling as he realised which photo she was referring to._

"_I know, that's why it's one of my favourites!" he laughed, before clearing his throat quietly, "I mean, like. Often when people don't know...you get the best photos." He shifted awkwardly "Um, like the one of Quinn. In her apartment? With, uh...with the, the fence. Yeah..." he trailed off, nodding slowly, and Rachel smiled._

"_I like this photo." It was a shot of the whole gang, with Jess and Brittany cuddling unfocused in the foreground. The only one who could be made out was Rachel, who stood leaning against the front window of the bar after karaoke one night. She was laughing at something Santana had said, obscured by Jess' head, and her face was care-free and easy. She was wrapped in Puck's jacket, her head thrown back with a grin, and a gentle breeze had thrown a few strands across her face. It had been taken during the last flurry of snow, and her nose and cheeks were slightly pink from the cold, while the camera flash had picked up the drifting snowflakes. Rachel gazed at the photo as her breath caught in her chest, "It's perfect."_

"_Yeah it is." Sam glanced down to the girl before looking back to the photo, giving a small frown, "But, why were you wearing Puck's jacket?" he asked with fake casualness, failing to hide the flash of jealousy._

"_I was cold because I had forgotten mine." She shrugged with a small frown, and his jaw tensed as he nodded._

"_Cool."_

"_Why? Jealous?" she teased, grinning as she turned slightly to look up at him, but Sam's eyes remained on the photo, goose bumps rising over his skin as the edge of Rachel's cardigan brushed his forearm, and he took a shallow breath._

"_No." He said simply, and Rachel's eyes widened slightly at the boy's bluntness, turning back to the photo. Sam gave a small eye-roll, cursing his awkward nudeness, and cleared his throat next time, "I mean, I just didn't think it would be Puck that would give you his jacket, that's all." He gave a small laugh, and Rachel nodded with a giggle._

"_I know, right? Next time I'll demand yours, you're the gentleman of the group!" she prodded him in the stomach, turning to grin up at him, and this time Sam met her eyes with a shy smile, suddenly even more aware of how close they were stood, and he swallowed._

"_Well, next time you're welcome to it. Although, it's not quite that cold anymore." He gave an awkward laugh, but Rachel shrugged, smiling as Sam gazed down at her._

"_Well, I get cold a lot." She nodded slowly, licking her lips as her breathing became shallow, and Sam swallowed._

"_Good." He said in a low voice, and Rachel frowned quizzically._

"_Good?" she questioned in barely a whisper, and Sam took a deep breath as he felt her awkward laughter on his skin._

"_Good." He breathed, shifting his weight and leaning in to pull the girl into a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist as he felt her begin to kiss back, raising her hands to the front of his thin t-shirt and grasping the fabric between her fingers, pulling him closer. They pulled away breathlessly for a moment, and Sam brought his hand up to her face, brushing his thumb across Rachel's bottom lip as she gazed up at him, her eyes searching. He bit his lip nervously with a shy smile, and Rachel grinned before reaching up and pulling him down into another long kiss, slipping her tongue into his mouth and dropping her hands to his strong back, her fingers gripping at the muscles as he twisted his hand into her hair, his other hand lifting her top and brushing at the bare skin at the bottom of her back._

-ooOoo-

"And then you came home and made trout-berry pies?" Santana smirked, and they all grimaced, while Rachel rolled her eyes.

"No! We agreed it shouldn't have happened, and that it was wrong, and wouldn't happen again. But we decided to still go for a drink, just to catch up and stuff."

"So we went to a bar near the studio, and Rachel told me all about her audition and stuff, and I told her about how I'd love to have my own darkroom instead of having to share with three other photographers, and we talked about...well, everything." He let out a soft chuckle and Rachel nodded with a smile,

"Pretty much. And then we said goodbye, and sort of stood awkwardly before just kissing on the cheek. And then on the lips. And then we went to our place." She blushed, and Sam averted his eyes, staring up at the ceiling "And you know the rest."

The girls nodded, smiling, and Quinn tutted, "God, that was so cute!"

"I know, right?" Santana agreed reluctantly, disgusted with herself as Brittany and Jess nodded.

"Awh, now we're like, three couples!" Brittany grinned, clapping her hands together with Glee, but Jess frowned.

"Um...are we? I mean, like, what are you guys doing? I get that you're together and everything, but what's happening with Sugar and whatnot?" she raised an eyebrow, looking between Rachel and Sam, but Quinn rolled her eyes.

"God, you guys need to stop ruining this beautiful moment we're having!" she replied insistently "Sam and Rachel are together, and he likes her, and doesn't want to be with Maleficent-"

"Why do you keep calling her that?" Sam frowned, but his question was ignored,

"And all is right with the world!" the blonde grinned, and Santana nodded enthusiastically.

"Yeah. Three cheers for Samchel and for kicking rat-features to the curb!" Santana and Quinn high fived, while Rachel and Sam grinned bashfully. Jess exchanged a glance with Brittany and rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"As much as I want to join in this rejoicing and everything," she said evenly "what are you going to do about Sugar?" she shrugged and glanced between Sam and Rachel, who looked glum.

"And how have you managed to stay over here so many times?" Brittany frowned, "Hasn't she noticed you not coming home at night?"

"She's been away on a lot of business trips recently." Sam explained, "And I've been doing night-shoots." He looked slightly guilty, "And...about Sugar...we are..." he bit his lip with a frown, and Rachel took a deep breath.

"We are going to..." Rachel began confidently but trailed off, biting her lip and glancing at Sam nervously.

"Do what's needed." He grinned back and shrugged casually, and the girls all exchanged confused glances.

"Which is..." Brittany prompted, and Rachel rolled her eyes dramatically, but subtly watched Sam as they awaited his answer. He stood up, shaking his head, and stood beside Rachel for a moment, before taking a deep breath.

"You guys are stupid." He smiled politely before placing an arm under Rachel's knees, and another round her back. He hoisted her into the air, ignoring her shocked squeal, and carried her off in the direction of her bedroom. The remaining girls stared at each other in uncomprehending silence, and Santana frowned.

"Does that mean you're going to break up with Sugar Tits?" she called down the hall.

"Yes!" Sam shouted back impatiently, and the girls all grinned, placated. There was a moments silence until Jess gave a small grimace,

"Should we leave?" she called in the direction of Rachel's room. There was no answer, and the girls all grimaced as the exchanged glances,

"Yeah, we should leave." Brittany nodded quickly, and the girls all hurried to their feet, leaving the apartment with brisk strides, Quinn shuddering as she closed the apartment door behind them.

The girls headed out of the building and began to walk in the direction of the bar. They walked for a while, mulling over the events of the last hour in silence, until Brittany spoke up with a frown. "Do you think they're in love?" she grinned and gazed at the sky dreamily. The other girls looked at each other, frowning, and Quinn shrugged,

"As long as he's not in love with Maleficent anymore, I don't care." She snorted, and Santana sniggered beside her.

"I'm just dreading having to hang out with Hobbit-in-Love from now on. She'll be twice as unbearable." She observed with a wry smile, and Quinn slung an arm around her shoulders sympathetically and Santana linked their fingers with a smile.

"Maybe we should just call them and ask?" Jess smirked, and Brittany frowned thoughtfully.

"Do you think they'll be done by now?" she asked, and Quinn shuddered

"Stop talking now!" she glared between the girls, who smirked back at her, "No. I'm not even kidding, I will kill any one of you who comments on that."

She girls looked away, chastised, and Jess nodded slowly "Maybe I'll just text." She shrugged.

"I imagine they'll be too busy to reply." Santana grinned, quirking a suggestive eyebrow, and Quinn scowled.

"Aren't you supposed to be on my side?" she demanded, and Santana giggled, leaning in to place a gentle kiss on the disgruntled blonde's temple as Jess and Brittany pushed through the doors into the bar. They immediately slid into their booth, and Brittany grinned as she pointed to a familiar head by the bar, before raising a hand to her mouth to shout across the crowded room.

"Hey Puck!" the boy turned round with a small frown before noticing the girls, and raising an eyebrow, pointing subtly at the girl beside him and making a crude gesture. The girls rolled their eyes, while Santana held up her hand for an air-five, which Puck obligingly gave with a grin, until Quinn caught his eye,

"We have gossip?" she called, and Puck's face lit up as he made his excuses and hurried over.

"Hello, ladies." He slid into the booth with a smirk, "What's up? Tell Puckster the big news!" he looked between them expectantly and Jess snorted,

"Samchel." She grinned, and Puck raised an eyebrow.

"Berray? Like Fabray-Berry." Brittany shrugged, "Or Faberry."

"Eew no!" Santana grimaced "That sounds like Quinn and the Hobbit!" she shuddered "And from now on, no one will ever even suggest that ever again." She borked slightly and Quinn rolled her eyes as she slid her hand into Santana's, trailing her fingers along the girl's forearm soothingly as Santana took a deep breath to conune, "I prefer Trout-Berry Pie, personally" she grinned, and Quinn smirked, but Puck held his hands up to stop the girls' name suggestions with a frown.

"Woah! Hold up. What are you talking about?" he looked between the girls, and Quinn shrugged,

"Apparently Sam is Rachel's mystery man. They've been seeing each other in secret for a while."

"No way!" Puck looked indecisive, his expression a mixture of admiration and shocked horror.

"Way." Jess nodded, "We kind of...busted them."

"By busting into the apartment." Brittany added with a grin, and Puck shook his head, confused.

"So, Rachel and Sam. Are they a couple, or just like me and Jew-Berry were?" he raised his eyebrows and the girls shook their heads,

"No, they're official." Brittany smiled, "Crazy, huh?"

Puck nodded as Jess grinned "She hasn't replied to my text yet, so we don't know if they're in love. But they're definitely pretty serious."

"And Cruella?" Puck grinned excitedly

"Kicked to the curb." Santana grinned, and Puck held up his hands, high-fiving all of the girls multiple times.

"Soon." Quinn added, "Don't forget, they're not over _quite _yet." Puck frowned, and Quinn continued "Sam still has to live with Sugar, and work with her over the next few weeks. So...I'm guessing they're just waiting for him to be able to leave her?" she looked questioningly at the other girls, who shrugged and nodded.

"I thought it was you, actually, but turns out it's Trouty Mouth." Santana nodded with a playful pout.

"Wow. Well, good for Sammy-Boy. Jew-Berry's got to be better for him than Maleficent. And if he's shtupping Berry, he is a _lucky_ boy!" he nodded, wide-eyed, before catching Quinn's eye. The blonde glared back and he averted his eyes with a blush, "Sorry."

"Either way. Samchel is on." Jess nodded as they all smiled, and Quinn's eyes suddenly grew wide,

"That reminds me!" she turned to Santana with a smug grin, and the brunette raised an eyebrow, "You owe me ten dollars!"


	39. The Taste of Italy

**Okay so as you all probably know, this week was Quinntana week! And althoguh I didn't take part, an awesome tumbrl user named Arie did! And she did an amazing fanmix for this fic, which I was properly chuffed with. It's a great mix of songs and the artwork for it is kick ass and she did a really good job, so y'alls should go check it out, here: .com/post/20351636785/fanmix-dj-lookatthestar-artist**

**And now for the newest chapter :D I know it's been a bit Samchel based the last couple of chapter, but don't worry, I say again: I've got your backs. So have some more Quinntana.**

* * *

><p>"<em>I fell in love with being defiant, in a pick up truck that roared like a lion. <em>_When you're with us, you don't have to be quiet no more_!"

"You should though." Santana said bluntly as she smirked from the doorway, and Quinn jumped, staring wide-eyed at the brunette for a moment before looking back down into her mixing bowl.

"I thought you were still in the shower. I should what?" she asked distractedly as she rifled through the cupboard above her head.

"Be quiet." Santana grinned cheekily "It's like a Disney movie in here" she shook her head with a laugh as she entered the kitchen, towel drying her hair with a yawn.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Quinn shot her a quick glare, pouting playfully before rolling her eyes disapprovingly as Santana hoisted herself up onto the counter behind her.

"I can't leave you alone for five minutes without you bursting into song and baking and whatnot. I'm surprised woodland creatures didn't fly through the window to dress you this morning." She chuckled and the blonde turned to face her with a raised eyebrow.

"If you're seeing woodland creatures in New York then we need to discuss what medication you are or are not using. And I'm sure they would, but your Governor Ratcliffe-style brutality probably warded them off." Quinn smiled sweetly, slapping at Santana's hand as the brunette swiped a finger through the mixture, tasting it with a grin before glaring at the blonde.

"You could have chosen a more attractive Disney villain. Little harsh, Cupcake Girl." She smirked as Quinn giggled, leaning over to press a kiss to the brunette's cheekbone before turning back to the counter, "What are you making anyway?"

"Just some cookies. Or to be precise..._triple chocolate cookies_!" she turned back to Santana with a large fake grin and the girl grimaced, recoiling slightly with a laugh,

"I see. Can I make something out of the left over dough?" she asked with an excited grin and Quinn laughed.

"Of course you can, although I didn't realise you were seven years old." The blonde quirked an eyebrow with a smile, but Santana frowned,

"Creepy. Anywho, as much as I love having someone other than me using my kitchen-" Santana frowned, but Quinn interrupted,

"You mean 'someone _using_ your kitchen'" she smirked.

"Alright smart ass. Although yeah, even I didn't buy that one." She gave a small laugh before shaking her head slightly and continuing, "As much as I love having you being all sexy Stepford wifey-"

"I'm wearing your t-shirt. And sweatpants." Quinn frowned, and Santana sighed impatiently.

"Stop ruining this for me!" she threw her hands up and slapped them down on the counter beside her, "In my mind you're wearing a little maid's outfit or something, so shush."

Quinn paused, turning to stare at the brunette, "You're a pervert." She replied evenly, turning back to the counter, "Rachel naked!" she called over her shoulder and Santana rolled her eyes with a grimace,

"Ugh! You had to go and ruin it! God. _Anyway_," she paused, waiting for the blonde to interrupt, but Quinn shrugged with an innocent smile, and Santana continued, "as much as I love it, what are you doing all this for?" she asked with a curious frown, swinging open the fridge with her foot and checking it's contents. Quinn turned slowly, staring at her once again and waiting patiently for the brunette to gage her actions. A few moments later Santana glanced up at her, taken aback slightly by the intensity of the blonde's glare, quirking a curious eyebrow as she gazed back at her, "What?" she shrugged defensively before pointing into the fridge.

"Are you serious right now?" Quinn tilted her head questioningly, not quite believing Santana. The brunette stabbed her finger at the fridge again and Quinn rolled her eyes before looking in, grabbing the leftover pizza box and thrusting it at Santana, who grinned her thanks before giving the blonde a clueless frown as she answered,

"Yes, why?" the blonde laughed humourlessly, rolling her eyes again.

"Don't eat too much; we're supposed to be meeting the girls and Sam for lunch today. And well, I thought I'd spend my day off baking for no reason, because I don't get to do enough of that every other day." She turned back to the counter and Santana kicked the fridge door closed, her lip curled in confusion.

"I don't get it. What's up?"

Quinn turned back to Santana, shaking her head slowly before smiling fondly at her, "I'm baking because it's my hideously forgetful girlfriend's wonderful _nephew's bake sale_ this week."

"Oh my God, no way!" Santana exclaimed, her mouth full of cold pizza, "Is that this week?" she stared at Quinn, who sighed, shaking her head.

"Yes, it's this week. And you'd know that if you checked the calendar once in a while! I bought it for a reason." she jerked her thumb at the calendar tacked to the wall, and Santana grinned sheepishly.

"I try but I always get distracted. I know you meant well with the Mad Men calendar, but once I reached Christina Hendricks I got stuck on March." She grimaced guiltily before giving the blonde a cheeky wink, and jumped off the counter, striding over to the wall with a frown. She pouted at the picture of the redhead with a sigh, "Okay, Miss Harris, it's time for you to go." She gave a heavy sigh and took the character down, flipping the page over and hanging it back up on the correct month, "Ugh, January Jones you suck. Next time can I have a Christina Hendricks calendar? Then we won't have this problem, and she was hot in Company." Quinn rolled her eyes, watching the brunette, "She played April, this air hostess. Hot-"

"Just check the date!" Quinn demanded exasperatedly with an impatient sigh, and Santana nodded guiltily.

"Sorry, yes you're right. It's this Thursday." She nodded and turned back to the blonde, "And you," she stepped behind the girl, resting her hands on Quinn's hips "Are awesome."

"I know, right?" she smirked as Santana dropped her chin to rest on the blonde's shoulder with a reluctant grin.

"Yes. To be fair though, it's not like you can be angry, I think it's cute!" Santana shrugged, wrapping her arms around Quinn's waist, and Quinn nodded thoughtfully.

"I'm not angry. But it's not like I could say no to him either." She chuckled, shaking her head,

"Why would you want to? My boy wants to showcase his Auntie Q's awesome baking skills! You should be proud; he's never ask _me_ to help." She grumbled dejectedly with a playful pout as Quinn continued her baking with a snort,

"_No one_ would_ ever_ ask you for help with a bake sale. Unless they wanted some kind of disease."

Santana stepped back, her mouth open in offence, and pulled herself back onto the counter, grabbing another slice of pizza, "I'm not that bad."

"You're eating cold pizza on Sunday morning." The blonde pointed out,

"Well my Stepford Wife didn't make pancakes, and I can't be bothered heating it up." Santana shot back, and Quinn rolled her eyes with a grin,

"Yeah you're right, you're clearly a culinary genius." She deadpanned, "Anyway, once these are done I'm going to send them in an airtight package. Luke wanted cupcakes but I can't because they'd get smushed and be out of date when they arrive probably. So I'm doing these cookies, and I'm considering making brownies or flapjacks, too." She smiled at Santana with a small shrug, and the brunette grinned back, shaking her head in wonder.

"God, you are going to steal my title of Luke's Most Awesome Person!" she scowled, then narrowed her eyes thoughtfully, "Alive." She noticed Quinn's questioning eyebrow and shrugged, "He really loves Amelia Earhart." The blonde gave a bemused frown,

"Really?"

"She just disappeared! Like, where did she go?" Santana glared at Quinn with a clueless shrug, and Quinn frowned back with a small nod,

"Okay, I see. Anyway, I only want the title of Most Awesome Aunt." She smirked, and Santana snorted,

"Well, seeing as Olivia has a gay brother, I'm your only competition." She raised her eyebrows challengingly and Quinn grinned,

"Ooh, wrestle you for it." She bared her teeth in a growl and Santana giggled,

"Break out the jello!" she called, fist-pumping in the air and stretching her legs out to wrap around the blonde's hips. She tugged Quinn towards her using her feet, ignoring the girl's noises of protest, and wrapped her legs tight around the blonde's waist as Quinn turned to face her with a patient smile, while Santana grinned and leaned forward for a kiss.

"I have baking to do." Quinn said stubbornly, turning her face away, and Santana growled before reaching up to cup the blonde's face, pulling her into a long kiss. Quinn resisted at first, and Santana pulled back, narrowing her eyes dangerously as she glared at the blonde before pouting, and Quinn immediately grinned, rolling her eyes playfully as she slid her arms around Santana's back and pulled her close, leaning up into a long kiss. She scraped her fingers up the brunette's back, sliding her hands under Santana's t-shirt as the girl wound her hands into the blonde's hair.

"Okay, now you can go bake." Santana grinned when they pulled away a few moments later, "I love you." She placed a gentle kiss on the blonde's nose, watching her serene face.

"I love you too." Quinn breathed a contented sigh, her eyes still closed, "Even if you taste like pizza." She turned back to the baking with a grin, and Santana tilted her head as she watched the blonde for a few moments, before frowning.

"Hold on, where did all the baking stuff come from? Why didn't you just do all this in your apartment?" she leaned over to look around Quinn's body at the array of baking equipment scattered across the counter.

"I did it here because you have a bigger kitchen, and last week at the bar after Samchel you asked me to stay over so I knew I'd be here." Santana nodded slowly as Quinn spoke, "And I've been bringing stuff throughout the week. Did you not notice me bringing a grocery bag every time I've stayed over?" she turned to look disbelievingly at Santana, who shrugged with a clueless grimace.

"I thought you were bringing groceries." She grinned sheepishly before frowning thoughtfully, "Although, I wondered why I never had food when you kept bringing groceries, actually."

"You're stupid." Quinn giggled, reaching for a set of shape cutters, "I was thinking just circles. Or maybe stars? But chocolate chip stars might look a little weird? I don't think Luke would appreciate hearts. What do you think?"

"Um..." Santana slid off the counter, stuffing the empty pizza box into the bin and standing behind the blonde to look at the cutters over her shoulder, "I dunno, stars look pretty cool. Better than boring circles." She grinned, "Although, I want a heart."

"You have mine?" Quinn said mock-seriously, gazing at Santana with dramatic intensity before snorting with laughter at Santana's unimpressed expression.

"You're such a dork." She laughed, shaking her head, and Quinn reached behind her to take the brunette's hands.

"I know. You love it. But yes, when I'm done you can make the leftovers into a heart." She rolled her eyes and Santana grinned with an excitable shrug.

"Awesome!" she stepped to the blonde's side, leaning her forearms on the counter and watching Quinn patiently as she rolled out the dough and cut out individual stars, placing them all on a tray on the stove, until she stepped back with a flourish,

"All yours" she shrugged, and Santana immediately grabbed the heart cutter and remaining dough, giggling excitably, "God, you're such a child!" she rolled her eyes, laughing as she watched the brunette, whose expression of concentration was comical in it's exaggeration.

"Okay I'm done!" Santana grinned, stepping back from the slightly lopsided heart, and Quinn raised an eyebrow, "What? There wasn't enough dough to fill the full heart." She blushed with a small shrug and hoisted herself back onto her position sat on the counter while Quinn shook her head as she stepped to the stove,

"You're a dork." She grinned fondly, re-arranging the stars on the baking tray, before peeling the heart off the counter-top and sliding on to the edge of the tray. Santana looked up as Quinn swung the oven door open and used the stripy oven glove – that she had bought for Santana's kitchen when the brunette kept getting burnt – to pick up the tray, but the brunette immediately leaned over and grabbed her shoulder to whirl Quinn round to face her,

"Woah, there Blondie!" she stared at her in shock, "Don't go baking my heart!" she gestured to the dough shape on the tray and Quinn raised an eyebrow, staring at Santana as if she had gone mad.

"I couldn't if I...fried?" she guessed with a shrug, kicking the oven door closed behind her as it became apparent that this would take a while, and Santana snorted with laughter before rolling her eyes,

"No, you can't bake my heart! Everyone knows you ruin it once you bake it!" Santana picked the heart off the tray and covered it protectively with her hand, shying away from Quinn.

"Well that's a lovely sentiment to tell a baker. So you're just going to eat it raw?" she raised her eyebrows expectantly at the brunette, who nodded enthusiastically,

"Yes. Yes I am. It tastes nicer." She grinned triumphantly before grabbing a plate from the cupboard and placing the doughy heart on it.

"Well then why didn't you just eat it straight away?" she shrugged, turning back to the oven and opening the door once again, sliding the tray swiftly into the heat.

Santana blushed and averted her eyes as Quinn turned back to look at her "Because uh..." she swallowed, "I'm full from the pizza." She glanced up at the blonde, who rolled her eyes with a smug grin, turning back to cleaner away the baking mess.

"Well, you'd better un-fill in the next two hours-"

"Ew."

"because we're going to that new little Italian restaurant, apparently it's pretty good." Quinn shrugged as she filled the dishwasher.

"I hope Berry picked it. Otherwise she'll just complain the whole time about vegan alternatives, and then I'm gonna have to hit her with a cabbage." Santana spoke seriously, and Quinn laughed,

"I've seen you throw, I think Rach'll be fine." She smirked, and Santana prodded Quinn with her toe, scowling at the blonde, who grinned and leaned up for a kiss, "But please don't get garlic." She pouted and Santana narrowed her eyes.

"No way. I'm gonna get so much garlic. I'm gonna ask for a whole bulb as an appetizer." She raised her eyebrows challengingly, and Quinn rolled her eyes with a small pout.

"But then I'll have to get garlic so I can't taste it. Or just go without kisses." She raised an eyebrow challengingly, but Santana snorted,

"Well if I'm going down, I'm taking you with me."

-ooOoo-

"No, San. You're not having a meat platter." Quinn rolled her eyes and Jess chuckled.

"Why not? I like meat, and it doesn't have garlic!" Santana shrugged defensively and Rachel thrust the menu in her face,

"It's for_ four_ people, Santana!" she replied exasperatedly, "And I think I'm going to get the spinach and ricotta cannelloni." She nodded decisively and the others looked thoughtful,

"And you had half a cold pizza this morning." Quinn mumbled, and Santana grinned guiltily.

"I'm going seafood marinara all the way." Jess grinned, rubbish her hands together, and Brittany snorted

"Yeah well, you would." She giggled, and Jess raised an eyebrow.

"Are you complaining?" she challenged, and Brittany shook her head quickly, holding her hands up in defence,

"No, ma'am. I'm thinking just pizza." She shrugged, "Sam?"

"I dunno. Um, maybe the cannelloni too. Or the avocado and pesto penne?" he tilted his head and Rachel grinned,

"You don't have to go all vegan for me you know." She shook her head fondly and he shrugged,

"I dunno. Just thought I'd give it a try?" he grinned back, and they gazed at each other for a moment until Santana stuck her head over Rachel's shoulder, stealing Sam's attention

"Or you can share the meat feast with me?" she grinned excitedly and Sam looked longing for a moment before shaking his head resolutely.

"Nope. Penne." He looked back to Rachel, who grinned and took his hand under the table.

"So, hold on," Quinn frowned, "Have we ditched Maleficent now?" she looked between Rachel and Sam, before grimacing guiltily "Sorry to ruin the mood."

"No." Sam answered simply, "Saturday. At the moment she's away with work, she's back Saturday morning, where I will have all of my stuff packed." He grinned at Rachel before turning to the girls, who looked impressed.

"I see. So, where are you going to live?" Jess frowned, trying to hide her worry. Their apartment was cozy with three, but an extra body, and especially one as huge as Sam, may make it a little unbearable.

"I've found a little place, nearer to you guys, a few blocks from your apartment, Q, and there's a box-room I can use as a temporary darkroom until I can buy." He grinned excitedly and the girls all nodded.

"Well, welcome to the neighbourhood." Santana shrugged with a small smile.

"I hear there's an awesome cupcake shop." Santana added quietly, so only Quinn could hear. She snuck a grin at the blonde, who rolled her eyes with a smile,

"Don't you be trying to win back points because you stuffed your face with pizza and now probably want to share a dish?" she smiled knowingly, raising her eyes expectantly at Santana, who grinned guiltily.

"Well, they do the carbonara to share?" she said temptingly "We could get it between us? No garlic? Go all Lady and the Tramp with the spaghetti?" she grinned, wiggling her eyebrows at Quinn, who glared back at her with a sigh. Jess, who had been listening in, craned around Quinn to address the two girls,

"Why don't you just get the large portion and an extra plate and give Santana some of whatever you get?" she shrugged to Quinn, who rolled her eyes as she finally relented

"Fine, fine. But I'm getting the tomato and mozzarella linguine and you can just deal with it. It's like dining with a child!" she shook her head fondly and passed the menu over to Rachel, who was holding the stack, and Santana rolled her eyes as she shook her head.

"Oh, please, you haven't dined with Luke on a bad day. One time, he threw his shoe at the bus-boy." She nodded as she reminisced, and Jess snorted,

"Sounds like he takes after you, then." She chuckled, and Quinn nodded her agreement.

"Oh, he does. She probably taught him that trick." She looked expectantly at Santana, who screwed her face up guiltily and shrugged, trying to look innocent,

"My boy needs to always be prepared. I didn't know he was going to use his ninja skills in Chuck-E-Cheese!"

"Hey, Q?" Sam frowned from across the table, "Is it next week or the week after that Mom and Dad are coming?"

Santana raised an eyebrow, but no one noticed but Rachel as Quinn frowned thoughtfully before answering, "Next...Wednesday. Only until Saturday now, though, because they need to be back for church." Sam rolled his eyes,

"When were they supposed to be here until?"

"Monday." She nodded

"Where are they staying?"

"A hotel, obviously." He rolled his eyes and Quinn shrugged defensively, "I don't know which one, I'm not their trip planner! Why don't you call and ask them?" he shrugged uncomfortably with grunt and she smiled triumphantly "Exactly. They'll be here Wednesday and we're going for dinner with them at the hotel on Wednesday evening. Okay?"

He nodded distractedly and Quinn cleared her throat, raising her eyebrows to prompt him, and Sam rolled his eyes. "Okay" he replied, nodding exaggeratedly before they both fell silent as the waiter appeared.

"So your parents are visiting?" Santana mumbled as the others ordered, and Quinn nodded silently, "Okay." Quinn nodded again, and Santana gulped, staring down at her napkin, "Am I supposed to meet them?"


	40. MayDay

"You didn't answer my question?" Santana frowned at the countertop in front of her. They had spent the rest of their meal, and the walk to Quinn's apartment, in silence, and the blonde's casual perkiness was becoming harder and harder to read, and making Santana more and more uncomfortable.

"What?" Quinn asked with a small smile, raising her eyebrows as she stared at the ceiling. Santana slowly turned from the two mugs on the counter, leaning her back against the countertop, her fingers curling underneath it in a tight grip. Quinn watched the girl's knuckles turn white as Santana swallowed,

"You never answered my question. About, about your parents." She glanced up at Quinn, who was now looking down at her hands, avoiding Santana's gaze. She took a deep breath and turned to pick up the two mugs behind her, sliding Quinn's tea across to the blonde, who smiled and stared into its contents. Santana watched as Quinn added milk and stirred her mug slowly, staring at the swirling liquid with a serene expression.

"Thank you." She grinned, tapping the spoon on the rim of her mug and still refusing to look at Santana. The brunette's expression slipped into a fearful wince, and she took a deep shaky breath, licking her lips and clearing her throat quietly as she sat down opposite the blonde.

"Look," her voice cracked and she swallowed a lump in her throat before speaking, "we both know what you're gonna do so let's just please get it over with." She balled her hands into fists, flexing her fingers a few times before letting out a small sigh, biting her lip as she rested her chin on her fists, before dropping her hands again and shifting restlessly in her chair.

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked jovially, smiling at the table top as Santana sighed impatiently, biting back tears.

"Q, stop acting like nothing's wrong, it's really annoying." She spoke quickly before gulping, staring at the blonde, who finally glanced up to meet her eyes, "So just do it, and you go your way and I'll go mine and we'll just act-"

"What are you talking about?" Quinn met her eyes for a moment once again with a worried frown, and Santana rolled her eyes with a sad shrug.

"I get it. You don't want me to meet your parents, so...so you clearly don't want to be with me that much." She blurted out, averting her eyes and swallowing, "So you...you just break up with me. And, and you can move on and, and..." her voice cracked, "It's fine." She gave a small shrug and smiled sadly at Quinn, "I understand."

Quinn was silent for a moment as she stared at Santana, her jaw tensed as she searched the brunette's eyes with a shocked frown, before she took a breath, "You think I don't want to be with you?"

"Of course you don't. It had to end sometime, and this is it, and at least we can just do it like, as painlessly as possible, and-"

"Santana, stop talking." Quinn spoke quickly, smiling fondly at Santana, "I'm not breaking up with you." She moved her hand onto Santana's forearm, stroking it back and forth slowly before lifting her wrist and kissing Santana's hand, "I love you."

"Really? You're not breaking up with me and everything?" Santana stared at her fearfully, and Quinn let out a small laugh.

"Of course not. I love you." She repeated, and Santana smiled, breathing a sigh of relief, but Quinn swallowed, "But... but I can't see you when my parents are here."

"That's okay. I understand you wanna spend time with them, don't worry." She smiled before looking down at their mugs of now-cold liquid, before grimacing and standing up, clearing the mugs with a relieved smile.

"No, I mean, we can't." Quinn swallowed and looked down at her hands "We can't have date night, and I can't stay at your place and you can't stay at mine"

Santana frowned, turning back to Quinn and leaning on the counter behind her, mildly hurt at the girl's bluntness "What do you mean, why? I can't meet them?"

"No."

"So...what? I'm confused." Santana shook her head with a frown, and Quinn took a deep breath

"My parents don't know about you" Quinn blurted, glancing up at Santana before seeing the hurt in her eyes and dropping her head into her hands.

"What?" Santana tilted her head with a frown "Why not?"

"Because, its just..." Quinn's eyes darted around the room as she bit her lip, feeling tears springing at the back of her eyes

"What?" the brunette swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling like there was a rope tightening around her chest, "I don't understand."

"Look, it's not you, its me" Santana scoffed, rolling her eyes and moved away from the blonde

"_Are_ you breaking up with me?" the brunette demanded, staring at Quinn with a worried expression, and the blonde shook her head furiously.

"No, it really isn't! It's me, they don't...they don't know I'm gay." She blurted out

Santana's mouth dropped open "But...what?"

"They're really religious and they wouldn't like it, so they don't know I'm gay, and don't know anything about us"

"Anything?" she looked hurt and Quinn shook her head, swallowing "Wow. So, we've been together for what, almost eight months? And yet they think we're just friends?"

Quinn's jaw tensed and she met Santana's dark eyes before looking back down at her hands "They don't even know you're my friend, really. They don't know anything about you."

"So you never talk about me? Any of us?" she frowned with an incredulous smile, but Quinn shook her head slowly.

"No, they know about Rachel, Brittany and Puck, and that Jess is my best friend. They know I have friends and that we, me and Sam, go to the bar with them and stuff. They just don't know about...you. I'm sorry"

"They don't even know I exist?" Santana began to pace the kitchen floor "So while I'm telling my family how happy we are, letting you meet them, you met _Luke_, and you talk to my Mami with me on skype and she loves you! And, and you've been accepted into my family, you're _Auntie Q_, and yet yours don't even know I exist? Thanks, Quinn. That means a lot." She gulped, looking away "I think I'm gonna go." She walked through to the living room with a scowl, but Quinn jumped up and chased after her, catching her wrist and spinning the brunette back round to face her.

"No! Santana I'm sorry, I messed up, but, but...you don't get it. They're really religious and I don't know how my Dad will react! If it helps, my Aunt Clara is the most important member of my family, and Sam, and they both know everything about us! I told my Aunt at Christmas, when we'd only been on _one_ date! I'm sorry, please just stay and talk to me"

"Why haven't you even told them about me?" she spoke quietly, refusing to look at the blonde "I can completely understand the gay thing, if they're religious and everything, but you could have at least told them that we're friends, seeing as you've told them all about the three musketeers!" she spat the last words bitterly before sighing heavily.

Quinn dropped her head into her hand before taking a deep breath as Santana slumped onto the couch, staring straight ahead as the blonde perched beside her to explain. "I don't...I don't know. I was scared that they'd _know_ or something." She shook her head, averting her eyes as Santana glared at her. She was silent, looking back at the floor and shifting away from the blonde. A few moments passed as Quinn watched Santana's expressionless face "Like, everyone tells me I light up when I talk about you, and sometimes when I start talking about you I just don't stop for like an hour. I'm pretty sure people are getting sick of me bringing you up in random conversation, actually. I was just scared they'd know. Please talk to me. What are you thinking? How do you feel?" she frowned.

Santana suddenly stood up again, pacing around the room and wringing her hands up in the air, "What am I thinking? What am I _thinking_? I don't even know _what_ to think, Q! One minute my perfect girlfriend loves me and I love her and life is great, and next thing I know, actually her family has _no idea_ I even exist. And I feel kind of used. Because I _thought_ I was as important to you as you are to me, I mean you're _Auntie Q_ for fuck's sake, but... but _obviously_ I'm wrong!" she fell silent for a moment, sitting back on the couch, and speaking quietly "It feels like you're ashamed of me, and us. And it feels crappy." she sighed, "I think I should go." Quinn opened her mouth to protest again but Santana shook her head "No, I'll...I'll see you later."

Quinn sighed, staring at the floor as Santana stood from the couch and crossed to grab her coat. She stepped back towards the blonde after pulling her jacket on, cupping the blonde's face from behind and pulling her back into the couch to place a gentle kiss on the top of the girl's head, closing her eyes as she inhaled slowly.

"I do love you." Quinn murmured with a worried frown, and Santana gave a small nod before dropping her hands to the blonde's shoulders with a sigh and straightening up.

"I know." She gave Quinn's shoulder a quick squeeze before heading for the door, "I love you too." She added quietly before pulling it shut behind her, and Quinn gave a loud sigh, frowning up at the ceiling before dragging herself to the bedroom.

-ooOoo-

It was 4am when her phone buzzed, and Quinn sat up with a frown. It wasn't like she'd been woken up, she hadn't been able to sleep in the first place, just running through the argument in her mind, and crying into her duvet. She reached out to pick up the phone, checking her message. It was from Santana

**Come here. Now.**

She rushed out of bed, pulling on sweats and a jacket before running out of the apartment and straight to the other girl's building. She let herself into the building and the apartment, locking the door behind her and slipping off her shoes before creeping to the bedroom, where she found Santana sat with the lamp on. She pulled off her jacket and immediately crossed to the bed, seeing the girl's tear-stained face and biting her lip as she brushed a thumb across Santana's cheekbones.

"I'm so sorry" she shook her head, but Santana hadn't looked up from the bedcover, before letting out a shaky breath as she fought back tears of her own. Santana simply shook her head to silence the blonde, and it was then that her tears overwhelmed her, running slowly down her cheeks. The brunette registered Quinn's breathing change, and reached up to brush her tears away, staring at her cheeks, still refusing to make eye contact.

"I missed you and I couldn't sleep." she said in a croaky voice, and Quinn nodded solemnly as she bit her lip, not allowing herself to grin at the statement. Santana met her eyes for a millisecond before looking away again, and reaching out to take the blonde's hand. "Do you really light up when you talk about me?"

The blonde nodded bashfully, "It's actually embarrassing." Santana gave a small smile and squeezed Quinn's hand, before turning away. Quinn nodded with a small sigh of relief, removing her sweatpants before crawling under the covers behind the brunette, wrapping her arms around her and squeezing her tight as Santana shuddered with tears.

"I'm sorry." Santana shook her head again but she continued "I am. And it's not like you think. I could never be ashamed of you. I'm so proud of you, it is just...insane! You're beautiful and smart and funny!" Santana turned towards her, burying her face in Quinn's chest "And you're so passionate, and you like to pretend you're badass but you have the most amazing heart." Quinn began to cry again, swallowing before she continued "And I love you so much. You know I do. I could never be ashamed because there's nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to you. You're perfect."

Santana wrapped an arm around the blonde and squeezed her tight, and Quinn tilted her head down to kiss the top of Santana's head, breathing deeply to inhale the familiar smell as she did so, biting back her tears. "I love you" the brunette sniffed, and Quinn pulled back to wipe her tears, placing two fingers under the brunette's chin, tilted her head up so she would meet the blonde's eyes.

"I love you so much." She frowned, resting her forehead against Santana's, looking searchingly into her eyes. The brunette nodded slowly, biting her lip,

"I know" she whispered, and they lay in silence for a few moments before Santana leaned forward slowly, placing a gentle kiss on the blonde's lips. Quinn smiled, giving a small relieved sigh before leaning up and placing a small kiss on Santana's forehead. The brunette reached down to take Quinn's hand, watching as she intertwined their fingers, her eyelids slowly fluttering closed "but I'm still a little mad at you."

"I know" Quinn rested her head against Santana's with a small frown, and the brunette cleared her throat quietly before giving a small shrug,

"But you know, we'll be okay and...whatever."

Quinn smiled fondly and Santana blushed.

-ooOoo-

"Hi" Santana said seriously as Quinn padded into the kitchen in her pyjamas,

"Hey, are you okay? You were gone when I woke up" she took a seat, watching Santana dipping the tea bag into her tea with a small smile.

"Yes. I have a proposition for you." Santana turned to place the cup in front of Quinn, nursing her own cup of coffee.

"Okay..." the blonde nodded "I'm listening, what's up?"

"I want to meet your parents. You don't have to tell them who I am, or that you're gay or whatever, but they have to at least know I exist." Santana said with false confidence, and Quinn nodded,

"Okay. I love you for saying that. And I admire your willingness to compromise, it means a lot to me..." she frowned, and Santana gave a nervous smile.

"Why are you talking like that, you sound like Berry?" she raised an eyebrow, and Quinn giggled,

"Sorry. But yeah, I love you for saying that. You're so sweet. But I've been thinking last night, and this morning, and it won't be necessary. Because I'm going to tell them." She nodded confidently, staring into her tea as she spoke before looking up to Santana to gage her reaction.

"Really? Are you sure? Well then I don't want to meet them." She shook her head, wide-eyed,

"What? I'm going to tell them so they can meet you openly and honestly and hopefully love you like I do. Well, not _exactly_ like I do. Ew." She grimaced, before shaking away the thought and focusing back on Santana.

"But you said they're really religious! If they're going to hate_ it_ then they're going to hate _me_! That's like throwing me to wild dogs!" she replied, the panic rising in her stomach,

"They're not _that_ ba- actually." Quinn frowned as she corrected herself with a worried sigh, "Well, thanks for you support, _honey_" she deadpanned, rolling her eyes, and Santana winced.

"I'm sorry! I don't mean like that."

"Really? Coz you're sounding _really s_elfish right now" she frowned, glaring at Santana,

"_I'm_ selfish? This coming from the girl who's lied about me to her family for months?"

Quinn took a deep breath "I'm sorry. But I'm telling them because of us, for you, and I'm gonna need your support in this" she shrugged with a sigh, and Santana reached over to rub her arm.

"I know, I'm sorry. But of _course _I will support you completely, and I will be there for you no matter what! But don't you think it'll be easier to kind of...ease them in?" she shrugged, eyes darting around the room as she chewed the inside her cheek thoughtfully "Like, you know...don't throw them in at the deep end, or they'll know how much you've lied to them. Like, we're pretty serious, and I imagine 'I'm gay' is easier to deal with than 'I'm gay and this is my girlfriend of six months and we're in love and spend pretty much every night together and I haven't told you any of this even though it's a pretty huge deal to me' don't you think?"

Quinn stared at her as she spoke, panicking more with each word, until she took a deep rattling breath "You might be right." She said eventually, with a deep frown and took Santana's hand as the brunette sighed.

"Look, I want to meet them. As your girlfriend, and be able to get to know them and everything..." she swallowed "But if they're going to have an issue with it anyway, I just, I think it would be easier to do it in stages." She shrugged and Quinn nodded, frowning.

"I know. I just wish they could meet you and love you and everything. This sucks, I should have told them sooner. This is such a mess!" she looked down at their hands again with a sigh.

"No it's okay. I mean, you have to tell them when you're ready" Santana shrugged "Some douche outed me in high school, and I wasn't ready, and it totally sucked, and I hated it, and...yeah. I can understand you not telling them. But it'll be okay, I promise"

"Oh yeah?" she met Santana's eyes again with a worried frown, an Santana leaned forwards to stroke away the creases in the blonde's brow,

"Oh yeah. Because no matter what they say, I will be right here. I will still be here waiting for you, and loving you, no matter what. I promise."

"I love you so much" she breathed, swallowing back tears again, and Santana walked round to pull Quinn from her seat, leading her over to the couch.

"I love you too" she sat down and pulled Quinn onto her lap, and the blonde tucked her head into the crook of her neck with a sniff, "Go on. Let it out, honey." The blonde took a deep breath and sighed, nestling into Santana and wrapping her arm around her waist, gripping tightly as she started to cry again. "It's okay, it's okay" Santana rubbed soothing circles on her back, whispering into her ear as she inhaled the smell of limes "I love you. It'll be okay. I promise."

-ooOoo-

"So they don't even know she's gay?" Rachel stared at Santana in awe as they walked around the park, and Santana shrugged.

"No." Rachel's jaw dropped slightly and Santana took in her expression with a knowing nod, "I know."

"I can't believe Sam didn't tell me." Rachel huffed, looking disgruntled before grimacing as Santana stopped at a hot dog stand.

"Speaking of which," Santana raised an eyebrow as she paid, "I'm guessing the family don't know about you and Sam?" she watched the smaller girl as they continued to walk in the sunshine, and Rachel shook her head sadly.

"Not yet. Only four more days, and on Saturday he's going to break up with her. Then his parents arrive next Wednesday, and hopefully I'll meet them while they're here." She shrugged and Santana nodded,

"Cool, I see. Do you think they'll take it well?" Santana frowned at the girl as she bit into her hotdog with a content smile.

"I have no idea." she shook her head, biting her lip "Apparently they really like Sugar, and I can't imagine they'll be thrilled at the idea of him breaking up with her and then meeting me a week later." She replied glumly, and Santana winced sympathetically,

"Look on the bright side; as long as you meet them before Quinn drops her gay-bomb, I imagine they'll accept it pretty quickly. Bigger fish to fry and all that." She shrugged flippantly and Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Well that's a lovely outlook as ever, Santana." She watched the taller girl thoughtfully as Santana's face dropped slightly, into a worried expression.

"I know, but me and Q both know that next week – and the following weeks, months, years? – are going to be really hard." She shrugged, staring down sadly at the path, "I dunno, I guess we're just making jokes and keeping it light-hearted, you know? If-we-didn't-laugh-we'd-cry sort of thing." She nodded thoughtfully and Rachel mimicked her actions.

"I see. It'll be okay, I'm sure." she tried to reassure, but the worry in her voice was clear, and both girls knew she was only saying it out of a sense of obligation.

"Yeah. I mean, they might be okay with it. We could be worrying for nothing!" she shrugged casually, and Rachel frowned.

"I dunno, Sam says they're pretty religious. He's even worried because of how they'll react when they find out he knew and didn't say anything." She grimaced and Santana rolled her eyes with a sigh,

"Thanks, Rach. That's so reassuring." She huffed, and threw the remaining half of her hotdog in the bin angrily, "Ugh, this is just going to suck. Q is paranoid and on edge like all of the time, and she's just acting so casual about everything but I know that she's terrified."

"Damn, this is _not_ going to be a good week for the Fabrays. Like...the worst holiday ever." Rachel remarked, shaking her head in wide-eyed awe.

"I know, right? I _almost_ feel sorry for them; they're coming on a lovely trip to NY to see their darling children...who are then going to bust their perfect Christian lifestyle wide open." She winced sympathetically, before frowning, "Then I remember that they're homophobic bigots, and I care less." She shrugged, grinning smugly at Rachel, who raised an eyebrow with a thoughtful nod.

"Cheating, lying and blatant homosexuality. Maybe Sam should kill someone, tick all the boxes." Rachel smirked and Santana snorted.

"I have a feeling it's going to be a very long month." She nodded tiredly, and Rachel nodded back with a sigh as Santana's phone buzzed.

"It's gonna bring a whole new meaning to May-Day." Rachel shook her head as Santana pulled her phone out with a frown.

"It's Quinn." She opened the text with a worried expression,

**Hey, how long will you be? Do I get to see you tonight? Love you :) CG xxxxxx**

"Um...do you mind if we cut this short? I think she might be a little spooked." She grimaced at Rachel, who nodded easily.

"Yeah, sure. What's up with her?" Rachel raised her eyebrows as they turned and began to walk back in the direction of their neighborhood.

"Well she only asked how long I'd be, but she sounded a little desperate you know? She's just kind of on edge at the moment." She tapped out a quick reply and tucked her phone back into her pocket as Rachel nodded knowingly.

"Go look after your girl, Lopez."


	41. Outcomings

**Sorry, guys. I totally forget to add this when I published it earlier. For the second time. I know some of you are confused because you've already read this chapter. Basically, I uploaded the last 2 chapters to and published the wrong chapter. MY bad.**

** So if you think you've read this chapter, go back and read chapter 40. Then read this one again, because it has changed slightly.**

**Sorry for any confusion, all my bad! Silly mistake! Otherwise, enjoy...**

* * *

><p>"Hey gorgeous." Santana smiled gently as she closed her apartment door behind her, Quinn already sat comfortably on her couch.<p>

"Hi, you're home sooner than I thought." The blonde frowned, turning the volume down on the TV as she turned to the brunette, who pulled her jacket off swiftly.

"Yeah well," Santana paused, "Rachel had to go early." She nodded convincingly as she crossed to the couch. Quinn had clearly been in the apartment for a while, which was sweet if slightly worrying, and Santana didn't want her fussing over Santana cancelling her plans. "How are you?" Quinn smiled as Santana plonked herself onto the sofa next to her, immediately pulling the blonde into a tight hug and leaning over to turn the volume back up.

"Pretty good, just been watching Friends." She snuggled into the brunette, tangling their legs together as she focused on the TV once again, "Oh, Luke called earlier and told me the cookies and everything arrived, so I had a little talk to him, and Olivia says to call them back later please." She smiled up at Santana, who tilted her head down to press a kiss to the blonde's forehead, before pulling back with a giggle as the girls both clapped in unison with the theme tune.

"Okay, thanks." She took a deep breath as Quinn shifted, and Santana noted the blonde chewing at her lips thoughtfully, "Something wrong, sweetie pie?" she asked gently, and Quinn grinned at the nickname before giving her a small shrug.

"Just a little worried I suppose." She answered casually, but Santana could see the unease in the blonde's face, and shifted back to cup Quinn's face, gazing into her eyes before quickly muting the TV.

"Okay, sweetie. I know you're scared. I know you're worried." She rubbed her thumb across the blonde's jaw as Quinn audibly gulped, her eyes searching Santana's for reassurance, "But I promise you, it will be fine-"

"You don't know that!" Quinn argued with a sigh, tears beginning to spring in her eyes, and Santana sighed sadly,

"No. I don't. But, no matter what they say, or what happens, you will still have me. I can't promise that it's all going to be sunshine and roses, but I will still be right here waiting for you. And I will still love you." She brushed a strand of hair out of Quinn's eyes with her fingertips, and Quinn stared back at her silently, "Okay?"

The blonde nodded slowly, before taking a deep breath, "I know. And I love you, and I'm so glad I have you. But honestly, it doesn't really make me feel better." She bit her lip apologetically, and Santana breathed out a laugh, giving Quinn a fond smile "Like, what if they never want to speak to me again? What if they hate me, and get angry at Sam for knowing, or my Aunt?"

"Are they really that bad?" Santana asked disbelievingly, but Quinn nodded furiously.

"Worse." She paused, "I dunno, it just...it could end horribly." She shrugged, and Santana nodded slowly,

"I see." She nodded before shifting on the sofa; her legs spread wide, and patted the space on the cushion in front of her. Quinn turned and edged backward to sit between Santana's legs, resting her back flush against Santana's torso with her head resting on the brunette's shoulder. Santana wrapped her arms around the blonde, breathing in the familiar scent with a smile, "But they're not even arriving for like...almost a week. So just try not to worry too much. Because you're wearing yourself out and if you build it up so much then you'll just get worked up, oaky?"

"I know. Okay, I know you're right." She sighed, staring helplessly at the ceiling as Santana gazed down at her, "How did you do it?"

"Well, a kid at school found out, and told everyone in my year." Santana nodded, staring into the distance as she spoke.

"How did he find out?" Quinn frowned, and Santana smirked guiltily,

"I um...I had a crush that he found out about." She shrugged and Quinn nudged her leg with her elbow.

"Hey! Stop trying to give me little titbits! Tell me the story." She settled into Santana, who rolled her eyes reluctantly and took a deep breath."

"Fine. She was one of Benny's friends, kind of a rocker chick, even though Benny was a jock. But they knew each other from middle school. She was really nice and cute, and I had a total crush on her. Basically, one day there was a party, I think it was the only party Benny and I ever both attended; usually he wouldn't let me go to parties if he was going to be there." She scowled at the memory and Quinn giggled, shifting round to face Santana, taking the brunette's hands and nodding.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. Sam was quarterback so he went to every single party, and I didn't get to go to any." She pouted playfully and Santana gave her a sympathetic smile, leaning in for a quick kiss before continuing.

"Yeah so there was this party, and everyone was there. And everyone was really drunk, especially Benny," she snorted "and you know...the usual party." She shrugged and Quinn rolled her eyes,

"Did you miss the bit where I said I wasn't allowed to go to any parties?" she interrupted pointedly, and Santana grimaced guiltily.

"Oh yeah, sorry. Okay then...so we went into the party, and there were like, people shot-gunning beers, throwing up, dancing. It was just...loud, and really busy, and hot and sticky and kind of...unsanitary?" she grimaced, "Anyway, we had a few drinks and all these guys kept trying to get me to make out with them, or go upstairs with them and stuff." She grimaced, "Obviously none were successful. But, that's what's expected of you when you're a cheerleader." She shrugged, "But it kind of got too much for me so I went upstairs, on the hunt for an empty bedroom or something, just to clear my head. And I found one but Georgie was in there, so I was all 'Sorry, I thought it was empty blah blah blah' and she told me to stay. So we were just sat talking for a while, and then she called me cute, and she kissed me."

"No way" Quinn smiled fondly, "Lucky you." She teased, and Santana rolled her eyes playfully,

"I know, right?" she giggled, "Yeah. Teenage crush kissed me. And it was awesome...until..."

"Until?" Quinn winced, and Santana sighed, her smile dropping.

"Yeah. The guy who's party it was walked in. He shouted, 'Woah, lesbos!' and that got everyone's attention, and loads of jocks came rushing and found us, including Benny. Then he puked all over our shoes." The girls grimaced, "I ran out of the house and went home. By school on Monday everyone knew." She shrugged sadly and Quinn winced,

"I'm sorry. That must have sucked. Were they mean?"

"Yeah, a lot of them. I avoided Benny all weekend, spoke to him after school and we told my parents. Just, before anyone else could." She shrugged again before giving a curt nod, "So that's it."

"And your parents were cool with it?" Quinn asked, her voice sounding worried again.

"Um...it took about a year for them to be...comfortable isn't really the word...accepting enough to talk about it and stuff. But I didn't get a girlfriend until college, which helped. But my parents were cool with it in the end. Hopefully yours will be too?" she shrugged and Quinn gave a humourless laugh,

"I really doubt it."

"Well then you can have mine. We know they're okay with it." Santana shrugged with a gentle smile, and Quinn nodded,

"Okay, as long as I get Luke, too." She smiled fondly, and Santana raised her eyebrows, shaking her head with a smile,

"Oh, you already have him!"

"Good, I may need all the family I can get." Quinn rolled her eyes playfully, and Santana bit her lip, before giving a small shrug.

"Well...you have one no matter what." She blushed as Quinn grinned at her, before leaning in and pulling Santana into a long kiss.

"I love you." She said, gazing at Santana with a small smile "And thank you."

"I love you more."

-ooOoo-

"Santana I can't do it!" Quinn paced back and forth in the hallway of Santana's apartment, wringing her hands as Santana watched from the couch, where she was kneeling with her chin resting on the back of the sofa.

"Sweetie, you will be fine, I promise." She nodded reassuringly, reaching out to take the blonde's hand, but Quinn ignored her outstretched arm and kept pacing.

"Can't I just wait until next time they visit? Or...maybe Christmas? Or next Christmas?" she shrugged helplessly, finally coming to a stop in front of Santana.

"Quinn. Do you actually want to wait, or are you just scared?" she asked knowingly, and Quinn shrugged sullenly, "Wouldn't you rather get it over with as soon as possible? The sooner you tell them, the sooner they accept it."

"Not necessarily." Quinn shook her head furiously, pacing once again and checking the time every few seconds with a worried frown, "Okay, I have to meet them in like ten minutes" She stood in front of Santana, nodding confidently and taking a deep breath.

"Sweetie, you will be fine. And I will be right here when you get back. I love you."

"I love you. Okay, I'm gonna go." She didn't move.

"Okay. Have fun."

"Yes. I'm going now." She still stood there, and Santana stared at the nodding blonde.

"Right. Enjoy."

"I think I need to throw up first." Quinn rambled worriedly, and Santana rolled her eyes,

"Quinn. Go. I love you."

"Okay." The blonde finally made her way to the door, before rushing back and pulling Santana into a tight hug, inhaling the familiar smell. She pulled away a few moments later and walked briskly to the bedroom, leaving a cluelessly frowning Santana behind her.

"What are you..." she trailed off as Quinn reappeared, "What are you doing?" she frowned, and Quinn opened her jacket to show the sweater Santana had worn to work that day.

"It smells like you, so I'm wearing this. Deal with it." Quinn leaned down to place a kiss on the brunette's head before turning to the door.

"I love you!" Santana called after her, "Don't worry!" she smiled and Quinn nodded as she reached the door.

"Love you, too. See you later." She called back, closing the door behind her, and Santana let out a deep breath before slumping down in the couch, pulling out her phone.

**Hey English. Q just went :/ fingers crossed.**

**Christ. So what now? J x**

**At Q's for when she gets back. Now I wait x**

**Tell me how it goes :/ J x**

She sighed and lay back on the couch, her eyes falling on the bag beside her, and she swore under her breath. It was the bag Quinn had been carrying ten minutes ago before she had gone to change, and Santana bit the inside of her cheek worriedly as she quickly flicked the latch and opened the bag, seeing Quinn's purse, make up and phone all safely nestled inside. Rolling her eyes fondly, she stood up and swiftly zipped her hoody up as she pushed her feet into her sneakers, hoping she could catch up with the blonde before she left their block.

Santana ran to the apartment door and began racing down the stairs, jumping the last few of every flight and muttering under her breath, "I swear to God, Q. I spend too much time running down these stairs for you" she gave a disbelieving snort of laughter as she reached the foyer, whipping her head back and forth in search for the blonde, until she spotted a familiar coat stood outside the apartment building, and she tore out through the doors with a grin.

"Hey, sweetie you left your-" she stopped as she saw Quinn blanch slightly, and her words were lost in her throat as she took in the blonde's expression, panic and shock thinly disguised under a faux-casual mask. Santana's eyes widened in realisation, and she cleared her throat quietly as Quinn gave her a tight smile, glancing over the brunette's shoulder apologetically as she reached out and took the bag.

"Thanks. Thanks, San. Mom, Dad this is, uh, this is my friend Santana." she turned slowly, stepping back to smile politely at the Fabrays, "I, uh, I borrowed her...her sweater. So I got ready at her place...and, now...here we are." Quinn grinned jovially, and Santana nodded, darting a glance at the blonde, who was nodding awkwardly beside her. Russel Fabray stared at Santana, his jaw tensed, before glaring at Quinn, who averted her eyes under his gaze.

"I, um. I'm sorry,, Mr and Mrs Fabray," Santana grinned between the two, who stared back unsmilingly, "I didn't mean to interrupt, I, I didn't realise you were meeting _here_. I thought you were meeting, uh, _there_. I'm so sorry." there was an awkward pause and she took a breath, her heart hammering in her ears as she gave the three Fabrays a tight smile, "So have a nice time. It was lovely to meet the rest of the Fabrays!" she gave a small laugh, and turned on her heel when she was met with silence, grimacing apologetically at Quinn as she turned her back on the girl's parents.

-ooOoo-

Santana had returned to her apartment, worry and guilt churning in her stomach, and immediately sat down on the sofa, staring at the floor as she chewed her lip, deep in thought. She hadn't moved until a few hours later, when suddenly the blonde appeared at the door, unlocking it quickly and standing in the entrance. Santana immediately jumped up from the couch, crossing to the hall and taking in Quinn's appearance. The blonde stood unmoving in the entrance, and Santana frowned.

"I...I am so sorry. I'm so sorry, I just didn't see them and I thought you were meeting at the restaurant and I'm so so sorry, I ruined everything. Did you still tell them? How did it go? I'm sorry, I'm rambling, sorry." she looked down, chastising herself, before taking a deep breath and stepping toward Quinn, who still stood silently, "Are you okay?" she flicked on the lamp beside her, gasping as she saw the girl's tear-streaked cheeks, and stepped forward to pull her into a hug, but the girl stepped back.

"It's okay. I told them, but...it's not your fault. Don't worry. Um, uh, could we go for a walk or something?" she asked, jerking a thumb over her shoulder, and Santana nodded eagerly,

"Of course, anything you want." She ran to the bedroom and grabbed her hoody before joining the blonde and following her out of the apartment. They walked to the park, and Santana frowned as she watched Quinn walking silently beside her, staring ahead distractedly. It was a crisp night, although thankfully it wasn't too cold, as there was no wind. Santana stared around at the trees, walking the route she had walked with Rachel last week; the atmosphere felt much less light-hearted, and she was yearning for their easy banter as she swallowed, licking her lips, "So, do you want to talk about it?"

Quinn stared ahead, remaining unblinking, and Santana frowned, looking down at her hand as Quinn reached out to link their fingers, grasping tightly to Santana's hand. She bit her lip as she watched the blonde, who opened her mouth to speak before closing it again and clearing her throat. She licked her cracked lips and took a shaky breath, "They don't want to talk to me." She said quietly, and Santana gave a small gasp, her eyes widening slightly as her mouth formed a small oh.

"I, I see." She frowned, looking away from the blonde, but holding her hand tightly, "Well…" she trailed off helplessly, glancing back up to Quinn, who stared at the ground in front of them as they walked.

"Yeah, they, uh, they don't want to talk to me. Or see me again, apparently. Ever." Her voice cracked and she gave a small nod, before turning on her heel and burying her head in Santana's shoulder. The brunette instinctively wrapped her arms around Quinn's back, resting her head on the blonde's shoulder and holding her tight. They shuddered as Quinn sobbed, and Santana swallowed away the lump in her throat that was threatening to cut off her breathing as she stared ahead disbelievingly. "Shh, it's okay. Don't worry, I'm here." Santana tried to resist the crack in her voice, and cleared her throat quietly, "I've got you, I'm here. It's all gonna be okay." She had no idea how. "I love you and I'm here, and...it's okay."

-ooOoo-

They had stood in the park for another twenty minutes, Santana's arms wrapped around Quinn and the blonde's face buried in Santana's jacket, until she had essentially dragged the blonde back to her apartment, sitting the girl on the couch and making a strong cup of tea, before perching next to Quinn and placing the mug in her hands. She accepted it gratefully, if quietly, and Santana gave her a small smile as she brushed her hair out of her eyes, "Are you okay? Do you wanna go to bed?" she searched the girl's face but Quinn shook her head silently, before taking a deep breath,

"Um. I'm gonna go to my aunt's." she glanced up at Santana, who looked slightly taken aback, but nodded with a small smile,

"Um, okay sure. Cool."

"I just…I kind of want to be around someone who doesn't hate me." She gave a humourless laugh, and Santana recoiled slightly with hurt, and Quinn immediately shook her head, "I don't mean that, I mean, like family."

"Yeah. Yeah it's cool. How will you get there?" she frowned, but the blonde shrugged,

"There are trains going out there all night, its fine." Santana chewed at her lip reluctantly but nodded.

"Okay. Well, I'll walk you to your place to pack if you want?" she raised her eyebrows as Quinn placed her untouched mug on the coffee table, shaking her head.

"No, I think I have enough stuff here to just go, actually." She frowned thoughtfully before standing up and walking to the bedroom silently, and Santana sighed, dropping her head into her hands.

Quinn reappeared a few minutes later with a small bag, dropping it by the door, and Santana watched her silently as she crossed back to the couch, bending over Santana and pulling the girl back into the couch. The brunette tilted her head back to look up at Quinn with a small smile, and she gazed down at Santana with watery eyes before straightening up and crossing to the other side of the couch, where she kneeled between Santana's legs, resting her forearms either side of Santana's thighs and looking up at her. Santana reached out to brush away a strand of hair, stroking her fingertips down the blonde's temple and along her jaw, and Quinn licked her lips,

"I love you" she breathed, before pursing her lips and swallowing back tears "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Santana whispered her reply with a frown.

"All of this." Her voice raised as she rambled "It's all my fault, and my family hate me and it's such a mess, and it's one that I've dragged you into, because now you have to look after me and you shouldn't have to because this is all my fault and-"

"Quinn, Quinn! Sweetie." Santana cupped her face and leaned forward so their faces were inches apart, shushing the blonde gently, "Just stop. I love you, and I don't care. Okay? Don't beat yourself up about me, because I love you and I want to be here, so just stop. I'm sure your family will come around in time or something, and you've still got Sam and your aunt, and me and the girls, and Puck. And it's not the same, I know, but we love you. All of us, so much. Like, it physically hurts sometimes. And, I'm rambling and not making sense but I love you and I need you to know that, and I need you to know that we're going to be okay. I know it doesn't seem like it right now, and this is really scary but…but you have a family. Just, a slightly dysfunctional one where your two brothers have slept with the same hobbit, and there's a shocking amount of gay relatives. But Luke copes with that really well and he'd give you pointers I'm sure." Quinn gave a small laugh, and Santana shrugged.

"I'm not even making sense anymore. But I need you to know, that I know how scared you are, and you're allowed to be scared. And just by the way, I think you are _so_ brave. But this isn't your fault. It's not something you can help, and even if it was, honestly I wouldn't care. I'm glad, because if you could help it then you wouldn't be with me, and I'm the luckiest person alive, and oh my God I have too many things to say and I can't make any order out of them!" Santana wrung her hands in frustration and sighed, rolling her eyes, but Quinn reached up and took Santana's hands, silencing her with a gentle look, before taking a breath.

"I love you. And half of that didn't make sense, but you said some really sweet things, and I love you so much. And if I didn't have you right now, I just…I have no idea what I'd do." She shook her head disbelievingly, leaning in to give the brunette a gentle peck, before looking down as she spoke again, "I'm just, I'm so glad you love me. But I can't help but feel this horribly impenetrable guilt. It's like, right here." She placed her hand on her abdomen, "And it makes me feel kind of sick." Santana shook her head with a concerned frown, her eyes wide, but Quinn took another breath before the girl could reply, "It's just…it's just how my parents make me feel. Like…like everything is a sin. And now I'm just filled with guilt, and horror. And it's just horrible, and I just need a few days, just with my aunt, who will make me feel better."

Santana nodded slowly, and swallowed "Okay. That's fine. Well, I'll walk you to the train station then." She gave the blonde a small smile and shrug, and Quinn nodded her thanks as she stood up and pulled Santana to her feet.

-ooOoo-

"Okay, I called my aunt so she's expecting me. Will you make sure my apartment doesn't go all musty like it does when I stay at yours for like four days?" Santana nodded, looking slightly bemused, "Uh, here's the keys to the shop," Quinn had become almost business-like on the walk to the train station, and Santana frowned at the keys in the blonde's hand before reaching out for them, "Tomorrow there's a pick-up for a party at five-thirty, is that okay?" Santana nodded quickly and Quinn gave her a small smile of thanks, "Good. Okay so there's two boxes of twenty in the kitchen, it's pre-paid so all you have to do is be there to give them the order, don't worry about the ribbons and tags and everything. Oh, then could you put a sign on the door? There's note paper behind the counter and pens in the kitchen, second drawer down. Just write something like, 'Family Emergency, Sweetie Pie's will be open as usual in a few days, apologies for any inconvenience' or something. I'll be back by Wednesday, I think." Santana nodded through the girl's speech, staring at the keys in her hand and trying to take in all of the information, "Is that okay?"

"That is fine. I can manage." Santana nodded confidently, giving the blonde a smile as they reached the station and checked the departures board.

"Okay good." Quinn replied distractedly as she read the board and set off in the direction of the stairs, "Thank you."

"No worries." She nodded, standing in front of Quinn and taking both of her hands when they reached the draughty platform. She took a deep breath and sighed, gazing worriedly at the blonde, who was staring at the ground with a small frown, "Are you okay?" She didn't particularly like the idea of Quinn going away, even if she did understand the girl's reasoning, but was reassured when Quinn nodded confidently, slipping her arms around Santana waist.

"I will be. It's just...been a very long day." Suddenly Quinn looked very tired, and Santana wrapped her arms around the blonde, placing a gentle kiss on her temple and closing her eyes as she breathed in her smell, "And I haven't even spoken to Sam yet, who's probably worried sick. And Jess, oh God." She sighed, and Santana squeezed a little tighter before pulling away to look into Quinn's eyes.

"Sweetie, don't worry. I'll call Sam and Jess when I get home, and you just go and calm down, and spend some time with your aunt and just...recuperate a little." She shrugged and Quinn nodded, swallowing as more tears threatened to spill over. Santana pulled her back into a tight embrace, her face screwed up in worry and frustration as she held the blonde, who allowed herself another few tears before pulling away and wiping her eyes, taking a deep breath.

"I will. I'm sure I'll feel better soon, I just... I just need some, I dunno, head space." She gave an apologetic and Santana smiled,

"I understand. I will miss you though." she pouted playfully and Quinn blushed.

"I know; I'll miss you too. Thank you for being so awesome about this." She nodded with a grateful smile and Santana let out a small chuckle,

"Don't be silly. Anyway, I think this is your train." Santana glanced over the blonde's shoulders before gazing back into her eyes, a lump suddenly forming in her throat, "Okay so...so text me when you arrive. And I hope you're okay. And like, and stuff..." she trailed off as she blinked back tears, blushing and rolled her eyes with embarrassment, and Quinn gave a small giggle.

"You're sweet." She smiled, pecking Santana on the nose as the train pulled up beside them, and Santana nodded with a gulp,

"So, um...can I call you while you're there and stuff? Or should I like, leave you alone?" she stared down at their clasped hands, fiddling with Quinn's fingers and avoiding her eyes, but Quinn smiled and nodded.

"Of course. I just feel like I need to get away from the city, and I know Sam will ask a ton of questions I'm not ready for yet and stuff. I'm not trying to get away from _you_." She smiled fondly, and Santana nodded.

"Okay, well then keep in touch and let me know. Like, even if you just feel a little bit sad, you can call me and we'll just talk, or sit in silence, or I'll just talk total crap to keep your mind off it or anything you want." Santana knew she was rambling, but couldn't resist when she knew that in a matter of minutes Quinn would be gone.

"I'll text you whenever I need anything, and I'll call you after work and everything, don't worry. Okay I have to go. I love you." Quinn gave her hands a squeeze and leaned in to kiss her again, but Santana's eyes darted around the station, her breath growing shallow and rapid, and she pulled the blonde into a tight hug once again, swallowing back tears.

"I love you. I love you so much."

"I love you too." Quinn replied earnestly, pulling back to give the brunette another look, leaning in for a quick peck before turning and stepping onto the train. As soon as the doors slid closed behind her, Santana felt an unwelcome sense of abandonment, but smiled and waved as the blonde found a seat by the window and the train began to pull away.

Santana watched unblinkingly, until the train rounded a corner and headed out of sight, when she took a deep breath and let out a long shaky sigh, before turning toward the stairs, leaving the station with a deep-set frown.


	42. Kaleidoscope

What are you legitimately supposed to do with misery? It's not like other emotions. Like happiness, for example; when you're happy you can show the world, dace around town, grin and compliment total strangers, give up your seat on the subway to someone just as able-bodied as yourself. You may look a little unstable, but it's acceptable. When you feel sad you can hide away; indulge yourself with self-pity. Hide from the world and only allow certain people in; the ones you know will offer snacks and cuddles, love and sympathy.

But there isn't just happy and sad.

There's shame. Guilt. Remorse. Sure, when you feel guilty you can make amends. When you're ashamed you can shy away, or gloss over it. When you're remorseful you can apologize. But let's face it, life isn't black and white. You can't always alter whole situations and circumstances with one simple act. And I'm pretty sure that as I get older, the entire spectrum of emotion just blurs into dull greys, more so with each passing year.

I was always taught to be so sure of what was right and wrong. And I was so dedicated to that that it practically ostracized me from school society. Where Sam took the beliefs in his stride, I bore them like a weight on my back. He was successful enough to avoid any grief for his actions; perfect enough. I don't begrudge him that, in retrospect, despite the occasional overwhelming wave of jealousy at the time. But he was never that committed to these beliefs in the first place. Not enough to care. He only just lived within the boundaries, never quite pushing our parents far enough to force a reaction, whilst still maintaining his status within the school. I never even tried. For me, it was easier to live within the boundaries if I never even strayed too close to the edge. Not that I was ever offered much temptation anyway. Being a serial loner, book-worm and possible closeted-lesbian doesn't exactly attract the party crowd when you're fifteen. But I still knew right from wrong, good from bad, heaven from hell, righteous from sinful. And I would still have stuck to it, even if temptation had been offered. "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination"…guess I shot that scripture in the face.

If Santana could hear me now, I wonder what she'd say. Of course she'd say that love is love, give me the argument about how the bible says you can't eat lobster, plant crops in the same field or give someone a proud look and all of that. But I think secretly she'd understand. Her family is less strict with religion, true, and so much more accepting than mine, but I think she would still understand this, this…feeling. Of being a sinner. Sick. I think she could understand feeling wrong, feeling immoral, sinful. But would she understand all the rest? Could she empathize and relate, to the point where she could physically feel her stomach twist, if I told her how I feel? I doubt it. And I'm thankful for that.

She couldn't understand this feeling if she tried. Not that I'd ever want her to feel this, or understand this feeling. Because you _can_ apologize to rid yourself of guilt; try to make it right. But you can't apologize away a sense of guilt and shame so large that it's al-consuming. You can't go to confession and purge yourself of a remorse so strong it feels like it's rotting away inside of you like a disease. You can't hide away from a shame that plants itself as a doubt in your mind, twisting your thoughts into unintelligible waste. It's like a bug in the system, a virus crawling under the skin, with no solution, no way of ridding the host of the parasite. Maybe that's a little dramatic, but the bile that rises in my throat when I think of who I am would beg to differ. I wish I could hate my parents for thrusting me into a mindset full of denial and condemnation, but all I can feel is remorse. Disgrace at having put them through, in their eyes, the parental failure of having me for a daughter.

Santana will never feel the guilt, set so irretrievably deep inside of me that it rots in my core, causing a stench so engulfing that it fills my lungs like smoke. It constricts my throat and compresses my chest as I gasp for air in the occasional moments when I allow myself to dwell on the situation. When I can barely resist screwing my face and screaming at the top of my lungs at the unjustness of it all, thinking of how it's just my fucking bad luck to be different, and to feel so wrong.

Knowing that my closest ally will never truly feel this, a guilt so strong it feels like a disease, makes me feel more alone than ever. But Jess or Brittany would understand even less. Up until the last few weeks, Rachel and Sam have never had to feel guilty over anything in their lives. Begrudging your friends their happiness does not make for a positive friendship dynamic. And in a city full of people, how is it possible to feel this alone?

My voice a beacon in the night. My words will be your light, to carry you to me.

In a city of complete loneliness, one building is home. Home is where the heart is, and my heart has always firmly belonged in an attic. More specifically, a bright red chair. A chair with a worn patch on the left arm, a deep delve in the seat, and a large gash in the fabric of the back, stitched with thick green thread and hidden by a wall. But I could sit in this chair for decades, stare at my favourite view for months, and read familiar well-thumbed books for days, but this will only ever feel like hallway home. Because the other half of my heart has been left forlornly in that city. Desperately waiting for me to return to a life I can't handle yet.

Because home isn't always a place. It's a person, a feeling, the moments that make your heart stop. It's the jolt of an elevator, a breath on your neck in front of the TV, an ear against your chest in the darkness at night. It's the quirk of a bemused eyebrow, your feet leaving the ground as you're lifted to be carried home, the knowing glance that can say a thousand thoughts in less than a second. It's the polite smile of a stranger, in the doorway of a bakery, on a September afternoon. Being alone doesn't always mean you're lonely, but for me right now, being apart means nothing but.

I need Santana here now. I need home. I need her here to remind me that I am more than who I want, more than what my parents are ashamed of, more than my guilt. And knowing that she truly believes that is a beacon of light in an otherwise dark and lonely city. But sadly I realized too late, that home, and the most important part of me, is not in a chair but in a heart.

There isn't just happy and sad. Life isn't black and white. But a heart in its home can be a kaleidoscope of colour.


	43. Impulse

**Hi guys! So, I just wanted to say thank you so much. Honestly, it's been lovely reading all of your reviews for the last chapter, and it's been awesome getting to know some of you a bit better in PMs and stuff too. Some of my favourite views have been left from chapter 42, and some of them have been really beautiful. I was a bit worried about uploading the last chapter, because as you said it was different, but the responses to it were amazing, and you are all absolutely fantastic. You've all been the best thing about writing this fic, and I'm thankful to you all. Also, almost at 400 reviews and to me that is MIND-BLOWING. I never ever thought I'd get that many, I never even thought anyone would read it. So to any of you who have reviewed: thank you so SO much!**

**Now here, have a ridiculously long chapter (sorry, to make up for the last one)  
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* * *

><p>"Hey San, how's things?" Brittany asked sympathetically,<p>

"Um, things are cool. What's that noise?" Santana frowned, the background noise making it hard for her to hear the blonde.

"Oh, we're at the bar, we were wondering if you wanted to come join us?"

"Oh, um. No, I don't really feel like it tonight, Britts. Thanks, though."

"Santana." Suddenly the phone was snatched from the blonde, and Santana pulled the phone away from her ear sharply as a loud rustling came down the line.

"What? Jess?" she frowned, but was swiftly cut off by the girl.

"Hey, right, you need to get your arse to the bar. Because Quinn's only been gone like twenty-two hours or something, and you're pathetic." Jess spoke seriously and Santana sighed, rolling her eyes and wishing Jess was wrong.

"I just don't feel like it, okay?" she insisted, but Jess tutted,

"Yeah, of course. Santana, she's only going for like three days; are you going to mope the whole time?" she paused, "I'll take your silence as a yes, then. Just get yourself to the bar, forget about it for a little while. She'll be back before you know it, and you know she's not there because of you."

"Except she totally is." Santana grumbled, and Jess rolled her eyes.

"Well then come to the bar and we can talk about it?" Jess answered cheerfully, and Santana sighed, "Look, you know we're going to get you here anyway, and if you don't come quietly" she dropped her voice into a dangerous hiss "I will put Rachel on the phone."

"Ugh, fine. I'll be there in like, ten minutes." She rolled her eyes and hung up, huffing a sigh before dragging herself off the couch to get dressed.

-ooOoo-

"Well, look who finally showed up!" Brittany grinned from the booth as Santana sat down hard beside Rachel, rolling her eyes with a small smile.

"Yeah yeah, okay guys whatever. I'm only here because English over there wouldn't give it a rest."

"You're welcome" Jess replied sarkily, and Santana smirked back at her.

"Anyway, it's love to see you Santana." Rachel grinned, "Oh it's like old times! Just the four of us."

"What are you trying to say?" Santana demanded quickly, glaring at the brunette, and Jess rolled her eyes.

"Oh calm down, cranky, she doesn't mean anything!" Santana tutted and rolled her eyes, while Jess shook her head fondly as Brittany took a breath,

"And to be fair Rach, these 'old times' literally lasted like two weeks before we started hanging out with Quinn, too." She rolled her eyes with a small laugh and Rachel nodded before glancing at Santana with a sigh.

"Santana please just go get a drink and loosen up."

"Yeah, you're like, totally bummed right now." Brittany added with a nod and a sympathetic pout, reaching across the table to place her hand on top of Santana's "I'm sorry, and I understand you miss her. But you're totally killing our buzz, so shut your whiney little mouth, and go get a drink. She's only gone for a few days; you'll be fine."

Santana chewed her lip thoughtfully as looked up at the blonde, before taking a deep breath and nodding confidently, "I'm going for a drink."

She crossed to the bar glumly, ignoring the triumphant and vaguely impatient looks from her friends, resolving to cheer up before she got back. It wasn't that she was trying to put a downer on the evening or anything, and she supposed she did know that it wasn't her fault Quinn had gone. But it was kind of her fault Quinn had had to tell her parents in the first place. And she had accidentally walked right into the Fabrays and started the world's most awkward five-minute conversation. And the rest. She ordered relatively quickly, as the bar wasn't particularly full, and took a deep breath as she turned to walk back to the booth, plastering a grin as big as she could muster onto her face.

"Okay, so how have you guys been? We've all been so caught up in Rachel and Sam and Quinn and everything, so...update me!" she smiled round at the girls, and Jess gave a small triumphant smile as Rachel took a breath to answer.

"Well, Sam told his parents about me. Which was...interesting. Obviously they already knew that he and Sugar had broken up. But they didn't seem too fond of the idea that Sam may also have been participating in adulterous behaviour."

"And by 'may have' you mean 'definitely was?" Jess smirked, and Santana snorted, earning a glare before the small brunette continued.

"Perhaps. Anyway, they didn't seem too impressed, and his mom said about how she was disappointed in him and raised him to be a better man than that. He felt pretty rough about it, but said his Dad was pretty quiet..." she trailed off and looked at the girls with a raised eyebrow, and Santana's eyes widened as Brittany's jaw dropped.

"Ohhh, you mean...Quinn and Sam's _Dad_?" she asked incredulously, and Jess grimaced sympathetically beside her as Rachel nodded slowly,

"Yup. That's what he _thinks _anyway." She shrugged uneasily.

"Jesus Christ, my girl cannot catch a fucking break!" Santana rolled her eyes with a sigh before turning back to Rachel, "Did Sam tell her? Does she know? Oh God..."

"I don't think he got the chance to tell her." Rachel shook her head as she watched Santana drop her head into her hands, "He was going to call her when he got back from dinner but you know...he thought she might be feeling bad enough, what with...everything." she grimaced at Santana, who raised a knowing eyebrow and took a long swig of her drink.

"This is the most dramatic week of our lives." Jess groaned, shaking her head incredulously as Brittany let out a small laugh,

"And it's not even our drama."

"I know. Remind me to never befriend a group again" Jess remarked as Santana and Rachel shook their heads disbelievingly.

"These Fabrays will be the death of me" Santana added with a wry smile, and Rachel shrugged.

"I dunno, they're kind of worth it don't you think?" she grinned, before standing up to walk to the bar as Jess and Brittany continued their own conversation. Santana bit her lip thoughtfully, staring into her drink as she smiled to herself with a small nod, muttering under her breath,

"Definitely."

-ooOoo-

Santana had left the bar an hour later, telling the girls she needed to be up extra early to stop by the bakery before work. Truthfully, the only order she had needed to take care of had been that morning, but she didn't particularly feel like going to the bar in the first place. She had returned home and had only been laid down on the couch for a few minutes before rolling off onto her feet and leaving the apartment again, locking the door behind her and walking quickly down the street to the blonde's apartment, breathing a sigh of little relief as she stepped through the door and into the familiar smell and surroundings.

Crossing immediately to the bedroom, she stripped off her clothes quickly and peeled back the bedcover, smiling as she saw the blonde's t-shirt laid on the mattress, compressed by the weight of the bedcovers.

"_Q, do you have to leave your shirt in the bed every time you get out of it?"_

"_What are you talking about?" Quinn smirked over her shoulder, clutching her towel to her chest as her wet hair flicked around her shoulders. Santana rolled her eyes at the blonde's innocent expression before hooking the offending item with her finger and swinging it in the air._

"_Every time I try to get into your bed I find your shirt from the night before. Why must you leave it in the bed?" she growled playfully through gritted teeth, stretching the garment between her hands and flicking it across the room at the blonde, who ducked away with a giggle._

"_Well where else am I going to leave it? On the floor?" she replied pointedly, bending to pick up Santana pyjamas bottoms from the night before, and flinging them across the room at the brunette, who swiftly caught them in one hand._

"_We need somewhere to put them." Santana shrugged thoughtfully as she pulled the shorts on, before belly-flopping down onto the bed, before resting her chin in her palms and her elbows on the bed as she grinned at the blonde._

"_What? Like those little pyjama bags people hang on the bed-knobs?" Quinn grinned incredulously, dodging out of the brunette's reach as Santana stretched out an arm to tug at the bottom of her towel. She slapped the girl's hand away and turned to face her, raising an eyebrow._

_Santana dropped her hand back onto the bed with a sigh, rolling her eyes as she shook her head furiously, "No way. I refuse. It's bad enough that we've started wearing actual clothing to bed, without getting pyjama bags. We're not eighty, Jesus." She grimaced at the thought before rolling on to her back with a sigh as Quinn pulled on underwear and a t-shirt. She quickly twisted her wet hair into two scruffy plaits before jumping up onto the bed with both feet, stepping over the brunette and dropping down to straddle Santana's waist with a grin._

"_Well you know the best thing about __pyjamas? Although they're still more like underwear, to be fair," she fingered the buttons on the front of Santana's bra with a grin as the brunette raised an eyebrow with a small smile. She leaned down to bite at the girl's collarbone, stroking her palm__s along Santana's arms to pin her wrists to the bed as she nibbled at her earlobe with a smile, "Taking em off."_

The buzzing of her phone on the nightstand jolted Santana from the memory, and she turned to sit down heavily on the other girl's bed, still clutching the t-shirt to her stomach as she reached for her phone.

**Hey Starlight. How goes things? Miss you CG xxxxx**

**Not too bad. Are you okay, feeling any better? I definitely miss you more **** xxxxxxx**

**Yeah, I guess. It's cool hanging out with my aunt again. You don't. I'm having a very early night and going to sleep now though, so I'll call you after work tomorrow? Xxxxxx**

**Same. Okay, sounds good I look forward to it. I love you, sweet dreams xxxxxx**

**Me too. I love you, sleep tight xxxxxxx**

She threw her phone onto the bed beside her and flopped backward with a loud groan, staring at the ceiling for a few moments before kicking her limbs out and releasing a string of expletives, her eyes screwed up tight as she threw a small tantrum. She stilled a few seconds later, breathing heavily as she stared up at the ceiling once again, a large lump constricting her throat as she sighed, tears threatening behind her eyes. She reached out for the phone again, switching conversations and tapping out a quick message.

**What d****o you think of acting on impulse? ****  
><strong>_**Send to: Britts,**__**  
><strong>__** English,**__**  
><strong>__** StrawBerry Shortcake**_

**I know you too well to feel qualified to answer this J x** _Well that's helpful._

**Totally. Do it. Unless you're doing extreme sports, don't do any**** sport with "die" in the name. B xxx **_What even?_

**Frankly, that would depend entirely on the situation, Santana. Concerning an act of love or dedication, in the style of well-loved romantic comedies for example, impulse always seems to be successful. Unless**** you're Ross in the final season of Friends. R xx** _How can someone say so much and help so little?_

**Although, if you're going to ask Quinn to marry you or something, I'd say it's too soon. R xx **_Still not helpful._

**Oh my God, are you asking Q to marry you? Tha****t's so romantic! :D B xxx **_What? Why does she think-_

**Dude you're asking Q to marry you? Little soon don't you think? At least let me ASK Brittany first, we got together like four months before yous! J x **_HOW IS THIS HAPPENING?_

_**Stop it all of you! I'm not **__**asking her to marry me, Jesus! S x**_**  
><strong>_**Send to: Britts,**__**  
><strong>__** English,**__**  
><strong>__** StrawBerry Shortcake**_

**Thank God. How could you even consider it? I think that would be wholly irresponsible of you, Santana. R xx**

_**YOU STARTED THAT RUMOUR. Don't think I don't know that you're texting everything to Jess and Britts, Sméagol. **_

**Shit, busted :/ B xxx**

_**Wrong person, Britts.**_

**Fucking good :| Night night! :D J x**

_**Yeah, night.**_

She pulled herself upright before she could tempt fate any longer and drop the phone on her face, and bit her thumb nail before pulling herself to stand. She stripped off her clothes and pulled the absent blonde's t-shirt over her head, before climbing into bed with a heavy heart. She nestled her head down into the pillow before sighing once again, shifting restlessly as she angled her body across the bed, dropping her head onto the other pillow and inhaling the familiar tangy scent. She gazed into the darkness thoughtfully for a moment until she sat up, grabbing at the pillows impatiently. She heard a tell-tale rustling and her face split into a shy grin as she lifted the last pillow, flicking the lamp on as she brought it to her chest, resting her arms on the fabric and biting her lip as she gazed down at the small piece of paper in her hands.

**Starlight, I have no idea when****  
><strong>**you'll get this, because we've ****  
><strong>**been staying at yours a lot ****  
><strong>**lately. But wherever we are, ****  
><strong>**and whenever you get this, I ****  
><strong>**want you to know that I love ****  
><strong>**you more than ever. Your****  
><strong>**Cupcake Girl xxxxxxxxxxxx**

-ooOoo-

"Hey, I'm sorry if you were asleep, sweetie. But I really needed to talk to you." She bit her lip with a frown as she waited for the blonde to finish yawning and reply.

"No, I wasn't quite. What's up, are you okay?" Quinn leaned over to flick the lamp on beside her, blinking against the too-bright light as she sat up in bed, gazing around the much-loved bedroom.

"Um...not really, I guess. I miss you too much to sleep." She looked down at her hands, shivering slightly as the blonde let out a small, sympathetic laugh.

"I know how you feel. I'd do anything to have you here with me right now, or to be there, but...I dunno, I just need a break from the city." She shrugged sadly with a small sigh, but Santana took a deep breath

"Really? So you won't be mad if I tell you I've done something really stupid?" she bit her lip hard, wincing as she waited for the blonde's reply. There was silence, "Q?"

"Sorry, I'm looking out the window and there's someone weird stood outside the house." She frowned, peeking around the window frame, "Why, what kind of stupid thing are we talking about?"

"The kind where I'm a weird person stood outside a house?" Santana asked warily, turning to the house with a small wave. Quinn hung up.

Santana shifted awkwardly from foot to foot as she stared up at the large house, finally ceasing her lip biting as she recognised the faint taste of blood in her mouth. She pulled her jacket tighter around her with a sigh, finally rolling her eyes with a sigh, her cheeks growing red with embarrassment. As she bent to pick up her bag, she heard the metallic clicking of a lock, and grinned when the blonde swung the door open, scantily dressed in one of Santana's NYU t-shirts and her underwear, her expression one of shock and bemusement. Santana immediately took the few steps up to the house with a grin.

"What, what the hell...what are you doing here?" Quinn shook her head incredulously, her eyebrows raised as she stepped back to let the brunette enter the house.

"I missed you." She replied simply, with a small shrug, dropping her bag onto the hall floor.

"I cannot believe you're here." Quinn smiled, biting her lip to hold back the tears burning at her eyes, and stepped forward to pull Santana into a tight hug, winding her arms possessively around the brunette's neck. She swallowed thickly as she rested her temple against Santana's, wiping at her eyes as she pulled back.

"Hey, sweetie what's wrong?" Santana bent at the knee, craning her neck to search the blonde's downturned face with concern, her arms still wrapped around Quinn's waist.

"I just….I really needed you. And, and here you are." She rolled her eyes in embarrassment, grinning at her girlfriend through her tears, and Santana gave a small chuckle as she wiped away the girl's tears with her thumb.

"You're silly." She shrugged as Quinn tilted her head interestedly, and Santana reflected on how vulnerable the girl looked, so fragile in her arms, before continuing, "You weren't there, and I just missed you so much." She swallowed back tears of her own, taking a calming breath, "You think I'd be allowed to stay here for a few days?" she looked up cautiously at Quinn, who gave her a shy smile as she nodded.

"I don't see why not. But I mean…what about work?"

"Well, I'll have to be up like, an hour earlier. But there's a train that goes that way on, so it would just be like getting the train to work instead of the subway." She shrugged with a small smile, and Quinn grinned as she stepped forwards into the brunette's arms once again.

"I can't believe you came out here. You are ridiculous. And stupid. And awesome. And I love you." She squeezed Santana a little tighter, inhaling the familiar smell before stepping back and taking Santana's hand, "Come on, I'll show you to my room."

Santana grinned back and picked up her bag, creeping behind the blonde carefully, making as little noise as possible. They had reached the second floor, and were approaching the door to the attic stairs, when a door creaked open behind them. Santana winced apologetically, tugging on Quinn's hand as she turned back, seeing an elderly woman frowning up at them from the doorway.

"Quinn? Is everything oka- oh. Hi." She frowned from Quinn to Santana before giving the girls a bemused smile, and Santana smiled back politely, giving a nod of greeting as Quinn flushed.

"Hey Aunt Clara. I'm sorry, this is-"

"Santana. Well, I didn't know you were coming, but by your faces I assume neither did you two. Well, it's nice to meet you, blah blah, we'll do introductions tomorrow. Goodnight, girls!" she grinned and turned back into the room, the door closing before either of them could apologize or explain. The two girls stood silently in the hall for a moment, their mouths hanging open slightly, before Quinn tugged on Santana's arm again and led her up the stairs into the attic bedroom.

Santana gave a small gasp as they reached the top of the stairs, dropping her bag onto the floor beside the bed. She grinned as she turned slowly on the spot, taking in the kitschly-decorated room, bathed in lamplight, "God, cupcake girl, you weren't kidding. This is adorable." She let out a small laugh as she spotted a photo of Sam and Quinn hanging above the stairs, the boy's arms grasping the blonde tight, both subjects pulling goofy faces into the camera.

"I know, right? See why I love it?" she grinned and yawned, sitting gently on the edge of the bed and pulling her feet up onto the mattress, hugging her legs to her chest, "Wait until you see the view in the morning. It'll totally be worth a train ride to work." She giggled and Santana pulled her jacket off, hanging it on the end of the bedstead before stripping off the rest of her clothes. Quinn shifted back into the bed, switching sides so Santana could sleep on the left, and grinned to herself as she watched her girlfriend undressing, recognizing the girl's t-shirt as her own from her last night in New York.

Santana flicked off the lamp as she slid between the sheets to lay beside the blonde, stretching her arm across the bed under Quinn's neck, her other hand curling around her to rest on the back of her ribs, and the blonde tucked her arms between their chests, feeling their hearts beating against her wrists. Santana cleared her throat quietly, watching the blonde's silhouette in the darkness, "So, how are you?" she whispered, and the blonde gave her a small smile.

"I am…okay. I'm getting there. I don't know, I still feel bad, like I could have handled it better or something. But I feel a little better; my Aunt is always full of unconditional love, and she's proud of me. And I know you are too, and Sam and Jess. And you're all so important to me, so that helps a little."

"Good. I am proud of you; I think what you did was an amazingly brave thing to do, and I love you even more for that." Quinn nodded into the darkness, biting her lip.

"I'm so glad you came."

"Me too. I know you said you needed me, and well, I'd like to say that's why I came. And it is, partly. But also, this morning I woke up and you weren't there. And I know you need me, but even if you hadn't I would have still come. Because _I _need _you_." She brought her hand up to take Quinn's, and the blonde clasped it in her own as she listened, "Like, last night I realised that it was the first night we've spent apart in over five weeks. That's more than a month. Thirty-seven nights, actually." She nodded confidently and Quinn raised her eyebrows "Yeah, I told you I couldn't sleep. I just mean, how insane is that, five weeks? And then, you just weren't there. It's like, you can be in a room full of people, and one person leaves and the room feels a little emptier, but you don't really notice. And then you leave, and it's like the room is empty. Do you know what I mean?"

"Like, someone can leave and suddenly the world just seems unpopulated?" Quinn suggested with a small, knowing smile, and Santana nodded fervently,

"Yes! Exactly. You're so much better with words than I am, you're so smart." She shook her head for a moment before continuing, "And like, last night just felt like…like the whole _world_ was empty. And I hated that. I hated not having you to wake up next to. I hated not seeing you wandering around in a towel this morning. I hated making breakfast for one, and I hated not hearing you singing, or laughter filling the apartment. I even tried staying over at your apartment tonight instead, but it still didn't help. And, and I hated finding that stupid _adorable _note and not being able to tell you that I love you too."

"I hated sitting in that chair and feeling incomplete. I hated not lying next to you, or on you. I hated not having the sound of your voice constantly ringing in my ears." Quinn countered, and Santana chuckled as she tilted her head to rest her forehead on the blonde's.

"I just hated not having you around. Because like, you make me feel special, and important, and...comfortable? Being around you is like...where I belong or something, it feels like…"

"Home?"

"Yes. God, you're smart! You feel like home, and I, I wanted to talk to you about something." She felt the muscles off Quinn's face twitch as the blonde raised an eyebrow questioningly, and smiled before replying, "Okay, I know this isn't the best time to ask, because of everything that's been going on with you lately. But, I was thinking about it so much last night, and I feel like if I don't say it out loud I'm gonna go crazy, I just need to get it out there."

"Okay…"

"I know that everything is crazy at the moment. And I know you're scared, and you feel like you did something wrong. But you make me so happy, and I want to be able to make you happy as well. Like, I want to see your stupid face every morning, and hear you giving Berry's pipes a run for their money when I get home, and I want to get mad at you for not going grocery shopping when you promised, and for leaving hair in the drain or toothpaste in the sink. I want to do all those things and just have you around all the time.

"And I know that you won't be ready yet because of everything that's been going on, and I understand that; I don't mind. But I also want you to be happy, and if we want the same things then I don't want you to hold yourself back and deny yourself something that you want. I don't want you to sacrifice your happiness because you feel guilty for being who you are. Because who you are is incredible; you're funny and smart and sweet and kind and I love you. I just, I know that you probably feel horrible and like you did something wrong, and you shouldn't because you're a good person. One of the best I know."

"How do you know that?" Quinn asked quietly, swallowing as her eyelids fluttered closed,

"Because I know you." She pulled her arm around Quinn, hugging the girl tightly to her body, "And I also know that at the moment you're probably not ready. But when we go back to the city, whenever you're ready to, I want you to know that I want you to move in with me. You don't have to as soon as we go back, and you can take as long as you need, but I want you to know that whenever you're ready, I'll be waiting for you. I want to like, build a home with you and stuff; full of photos and mess and baking paraphernalia." She gave a small shrug and smiled "Coz you're totally my epic love story, and I think about you all the time, so...I might as well see you all the time, too." She trailed off with a nervous laugh, and Quinn grinned, dropping her head to brush her lips against Santana's knuckles, and the brunette shivered with a smile as the blonde bumped her nose with her own.

"Well, I appreciate that. And, it's nice knowing that you're there for me. But, I dunno, at the moment I just feel like the city's...just too big for me." She frowned uncomfortably and rolled away onto her back, shifting so the side of her body was pressed against Santana's front, and reached up to take the brunette's hand by her shoulder, linking their fingers as she stared thoughtfully at the ceiling. "It makes me feel like I'm drowning. But, drowning in a pool so big that the lifeguards haven't noticed me kicking." Santana nodded with a frown "I just feel sort of...I dunno, untethered? If you know what I mean? Like, I've lived in this little bubble for so long, of just being me and keeping it to myself and my friends. And now my bubble's burst. And I'm exposed, and vulnerable, and scared. And I've been rejected by my family, and will they ever talk to me again? What does this mean for Sam and my parents?" she took a deep breath and sighed, shaking her head slightly in the darkness, and Santana reached over to trace the creases of her t-shirt as she listened solemnly, "I feel like the rope tying me down to the earth has snapped. Or rather, been cut. And now I'm floating away, and I'm scared because I have no idea what's out there."

"Would it help if I told you you're tied to me?" Santana asked, staring down at her fingers on the girl's waist. Quinn rolled her head round to look at Santana, watching her contemplatively for a moment

"Yes." she replied simply, nodding as Santana met her eyes with a small smile, nodding thoughtfully in response. "And uh, I know I'm not ready to go back yet, but you know I will soon. And then, a little while after that we can definitely," she swallowed and Santana nodded, "yeah."

Santana let out a long sigh, nodding slowly, before grinning at the blonde, who giggled and wrapped her arms around the other girl, pulling her in to her body, and Santana dropped her head onto her girlfriend's shoulder, nestling her head into the crook of Quinn's neck. The blonde glanced around the room, biting her lip through her excited smile, "Yeah. At some point. But you know, before that I kind of need to learn, like...to be happy by myself, you know? Just, I want to remember how to be happy and comfortable with myself first. Because otherwise I'll just drag you down too, and I'd hate to hold you back from your happiness, you know?"

Santana pulled back to look the blonde in the eye, nodding seriously as she rolled onto her front, one leg still draped between her girlfriend's, her arm wrapped around her waist, "Yeah I understand, of course." She averted her eyes to stare at the girl's collarbone as she spoke, "It's okay, of course I don't think you could ever hold me back or anything; I mean, you _are_ my happiness, but...I want _you_ to be happy first. Coz it's a big step, and I just, I'd rather wait until you're ready than jump into it too soon and have you feel...like," she swallowed, "I don't want you to feel guilty for loving me. Or something." Quinn silently nodded her understanding, wishing for her mouth to forms words of reassurance that she couldn't give.

Santana bent her head to drop a kiss to the girl's collarbone, disguising her look of hurt disappointment when Quinn couldn't deny her guilt. She knew the blonde couldn't help it, and didn't blame her, but still felt cheated. She wasn't angry at her girlfriend for not being able to supply comfort, just frustrated with the injustice. It seemed too unfair that this girl – the girl she loved whole-heartedly and without regret, one of the most generous, kind-hearted souls she had ever known – was feeling guilty and tortured, when anything she had ever done was considerate and compassionate.

She took a breath as she lifted her head again, her face gentle and kind to hide her annoyance, "But whenever you're ready, I'll still be here." She gave the girl a small grin, and Quinn smiled back before rolling onto her side, holding her head in the air expectantly. Santana rolled her eyes with a smile before shifting forwards, sliding her arms under Quinn's neck and wrapping her other arm around the girl's torso, her hand resting on the girl's chest. They were silent for a few moments; Quinn yawning as Santana's eyes drooped closed with a content sigh, while the blonde stared at the wall beside the bed.

"Santana?"

"Quinn?" she raised an eyebrow despite the being out of the blonde's sight, eyes still closed.

Quinn swallowed quietly, licking her lips, "I just want you to know, that even if we're not moving in together yet...we don't need an apartment together to be a home."

Santana opened her eyes for a second, contemplating the blonde's words, before nodding her agreement, thoughtfully and wordlessly. She squeezed the girl a little tighter for a moment as she closed her eyes with a bashful smile, dropping a gentle kiss to Quinn's shoulder. The blonde lifted a hand to take Santana's from her chest, clasping it in her own and pressing a kiss to the palm before returning their hands to her chest with a smile.

Santana rested her chin on the blonde's shoulder, leaning her head to rest her temple against the blonde hair, murmuring quietly in the girl's ear, "I love you."

"I know." Quinn paused for a moment, taking a breath to steady herself before continuing, "I love you, too."


	44. Jaws and Jelly Tots

Santana scowled, lashing out at the alarm clock before it could wake Quinn, and blinked the sleep from her eyes, frowning at the dimly lit room. Memories of the night before rushed back as she propped herself up on one arm, the soft fabric crinkling under her elbow as she yawned, rubbing at her eyes. She was suddenly aware that she hadn't removed her make-up the night before, and probably had panda eyes to rival the World Wildlife Federation, and groaned, whimpering slightly. The room was warm and the air felt thick and sultry, flecks of dust swirling visible in the sunshine, swirling in the air above the bed. She grinned sheepishly at the thought of the previous night's discussion, pulling herself up into a sitting position, crossing her legs and hugging the bedcover around her.

Beside her, Quinn lay peacefully on her front, dimly aware of a shift in the sleeping dynamics. She flung her arm out towards the brunette, feeling around with her hand and finally connecting with Santana's stomach, wrapping her arm around the girl's torso. She shifted onto her side to face the girl, eyes still closed as she tucked her body around Santana's waist and nuzzled her head into the girl's lower back.

"Morning, sleepyhead" Santana murmured through her grin, reaching behind to stroke the blonde's hair, "Sleep well?"

"Better than last night" came Quinn's muffled reply. The blonde yawned, her grip slowly relaxing as she drifted back into her slumber, and Santana smiled and gently took the girl's wrist, sliding out of her grip and further down the bed. She tucked the covers back around the blonde and stretched her legs out in front of her, wiggling her toes before setting her feet down on the wooden boards, stretching as she stood up, suddenly frowning.

"Hey, Quinn?" she whispered, crouching next to the blonde's head, "Q? Sweetie?" the girl didn't reply, and Santana rolled her eyes "_Quinn, where's the bathroom?_" Nothing. She sighed heavily, cursing under her breath as she stood and crept to the staircase, descending the stairs as quietly as possible and peeking round the wall into the second-floor landing. There were various doors along the hallway, all closed unhelpfully. She bit her lip, weighing up her options, before tiptoeing along the hall, glancing over the banister to the hallway below and tilting her head, listening for any sign of life in the house.

She imagined Quinn's Aunt to still be asleep, because really, how early would _she_ get up if she didn't have anywhere to be? Not 6am, that was for sure. She reached the first door and glanced around again below turning the handle, inching it open to peek into the room, but was greeted with a somewhat messy, but cozy-looking, study. She pulled the door shut again and moved along the hall to the next one, raising an eyebrow as it swung outwards instead of in, but her confusion morphed into triumph as she saw a linen closet behind the door, reaching in for one of the large fluffy towels and closing the door again with a smile. She turned to continue along the hall, but was startled, giving a small shriek as she jumped into the air and clasped a hand over her mouth, her heart racing.

"Sorry, dear. I didn't mean to scare you." The woman chuckled softly as she stepped into the hall. Santana breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of Quinn's aunt, pressing a hand to her chest as she took slow, calming breaths.

"No, I'm, I'm sorry. I, I was just, uh..." she trailed off, all too aware of how she must look, wearing nothing but Quinn's t-shirt and her frilly pants, glancing down quickly and immediately clutching the fluffy towel to her lower body to cover her underwear, blushing furiously.

"The bathroom's just in there." The older woman smiled, her eyes bright with amusement as she gestured to the door between them, her eyes still trained on Santana's bright red face. The girl nodded slowly, her limps clamped together as she bit her inside of her cheeks.

"Th-thank you." She cleared her throat quietly and nodded her gratitude, awkwardly shuffling toward the door. Clara nodded her acknowledgement, walking past Santana to the stairs, turning back to call over her shoulder,

"And I'm sure eventually we'll get to meet when we're both fully dressed." She grinned and Santana nodded, staring intently at the door handle in front of her, until Quinn's aunt disappeared from sight and she slumped, dropping her forehead onto the doorframe with a groan.

-ooOoo-

"Well, don't you look nice?" the woman remarked from the table as Santana stepped into the kitchen with a smile. She was wearing a crisp white shirt and grey pencil skirt, teamed with her black blazer and heels, and it had to be said, she did like this outfit.

"You mean aside from the bird's nest hair and air of lateness?" she grimaced guiltily and placed her bag on the counter, setting down a pile of folders beside it, before rifling through the contents of both.

"Oh don't be silly, you look gorgeous." The woman smiled, clearing her plate and loading the dishwasher as Santana fumbled and fidgeted with her stack of work,

"Well, thank you." Santana grinned, blushing slightly, "I'm sorry about last night. And this morning." She glanced up at the woman sheepishly, "I mean, I don't mean to impose, it's just that Q seemed really down, and I...uh, I didn't like to think of her being upset." She brushed her bangs out of her eyes with a finger, watching the older woman's face break into a smile.

"Of course not! In all truthfulness, I was getting worried about her myself. At Christmas she just seemed...radiant." Clara rested her back on the counter behind her, and Santana smiled as she listened to the woman talk fondly of her niece, both women beaming with pride, Santana's slightly bashful. "But then she came this weekend and she just seemed...miserable. Everything with her parents aside, she just seemed sort of misplaced." The woman nodded thoughtfully, and Santana frowned solemnly.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. She kept saying how much she missed me, and it was horrible. And I missed her." She admitted with a shrug, and the woman beamed.

"Well I'm glad you came to be her knight in shining...stilettos." she smiled, and Santana grinned at the phrase, lost in memories for a few moments before Quinn's aunt continued, "You seem like you're good for her. I know she loves you very much, you can tell in the way she talks about you." Santana grinned again, looking down to hide her blush, and the woman chuckled fondly, "Anyway, I've kept you long enough! Do you know how to get to the train station from here?"

"No, I meant to ask you about that actually." Santana tidied her belongings, finally placated, and rested her hip against the counter beside her with a frown, "Could I get some directions please?"

"Of course not, I'll just give you a ride. It'll be quicker than walking anyway!"

"No, you don't have to do that. Really don't worry; I wouldn't want to put you out." Santana shook her head and waved her hands, "I've taken advantage of your kindness enough already."

"Oh, honey, be quiet." Santana immediately clamped her mouth shut, "All I've got planned today is lunch this afternoon with the girls. Other than that, my garden will still be here when I get back. Come on." She smiled kindly and Santana rolled her eyes, "They'll get stuck like that."

She looked down bashfully, chastised, before finally nodding her acceptance with a small blush, "Okay, fine. Thank you very much, I really do appreciate all of this." The woman grabbed her keys and Santana followed her out of the house, climbing into the passenger seat beside the woman.

"I don't mind at all. I think it'll be nice having you girls around." She nodded happily and Santana smiled, "Plus Quinnie is an amazing baker, and she tells me you make pretty good paella?" the woman glanced over at Santana, eyebrows raised, and the girl chuckled.

"Yeah she would." She snorted incredulously, shaking her head, "I can play four of the ten hardest piano compositions of the 20th century, but she's proud of the _one _meal I can cook."

-ooOoo-

They had spent the rest of the short drive talking about Santana's job and life in New York, and Santana had spent the train journey to school with a huge grin. Despite her predications, she arrived at the school around the same time she usually did, and had time to organize the day's work and classes, settling at her desk with a content sigh, only minutes before the bell rang and her students started to file in. She took a breath, suddenly aware of her lack of coffee that morning, and stood up, turning to the board to write the lesson's title.

She turned to face the class, glancing around the room as her eyes scanned the few remaining empty chairs, assessing who was still missing, eyes darting to the clock to check how much time they had remaining before she had to start handing out detentions. She raised an eyebrow slightly as her eyes fell on Jeremy's empty chair, puzzled at the unusual occurrence as a wolf whistle rang out from the doorway.

"Wow Miss L, lookin' goooood" the boy grinned cheekily and winked at her as he dashed past her and into the room, "Sorry I'm late!"

The other students chuckled as he took his seat, and Santana raised an eyebrow impatiently. There was a visible bruise appearing on the boy's jaw, and she narrowed her eyes dangerously to disguise her shocked frown, unease growing in the pit of her stomach. She cleared her throat loudly to get their attention, "Can you stay after class please, Jeremy?" she spoke seriously, her jaw tense with concern, and the laughter abruptly stopped as the boy's face fell, his jaw dropping slightly. He winced, quickly clearing his throat and nodding solemnly to mask it. Santana felt guilty for making the boy believe he was in trouble, but she didn't want to make a scene in front of the class when Jeremy was clearly trying hard to hide...whatever it was he was trying to hide.

She turned back to the board and began the lesson, spending the few minutes rambling through her explanations, before she sent the students to their various practice rooms and slumped in her chair. She frowned heavily, staring intently at the empty seat in front of her, tapping her pen impatiently on the desk. She definitely hadn't mistaken the welt forming on Jeremy's jaw, and was positive she had seen him wince again when he rested his chin on his hand during her explanations. She bit her lips before standing abruptly, pushing her chair back with her foot before turning on her heel and exiting the classroom.

Wandering down the hall, she peeked through the windows in the doors of each practice room as she passed, studying the participants. "Hey!" She stuck her head into the room with a frown, "Pretty sure I told Spencer and Katie to go in room four, didn't I?" she raised her eyebrows expectantly, but was greeted with four silent, if bashful, pupils "Thought so. Move." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder as she left, finding Jeremy in the next room along, sat on the floor in one corner of the small room, his guitar slung around his neck.

The instrument sat undisturbed on his knee as he stared glumly at the side of the piano beside him, his read resting on the wall, and she frowned, knocking gently on the door. He looked up, startled, but smiled as she swung the door open slowly, closing it behind her and leaning against it.

"Hey, kid. How's it going?"

"Not too bad. Think I've mastered my composition now. Guess you wanna hear it?" he smiled politely and she smirked.

"No, I can already tell you've failed." She replied sarkily and he pulled a face of mock-hurt.

"Wow, Miss L, you're so motivational." He rolled his eyes with a smile and she chuckled,

"It's tough love." She shrugged smugly, before sitting down at the piano stool, facing the boy in the corner with a gentle smile, "No actually I wanted to talk to you. Any idea what it might be about?"

"Oh, I wanna guess!" he replied evenly, his voice enthusiastic, "Okay, I know I'm not failing. And there's no concert coming up or anything so...I'm getting an award! For managing to combine effortless charm with shocking good looks and incredible talent."

"No way, I already owns that title." She smirked and he sighed wistfully,

"A boy can dream." He pulled the guitar off his lap and rested it against the wall, shuffling further into the room, clasping his hands and crossing his ankles, his knees resting against his inner elbows, "So what's up?"

"Why were you late this morning?" she asked curiously, leaning her elbow on the piano.

"I just got held up, that's all. I'm sorry." He grimaced guiltily and she raised an eyebrow.

"I see." She nodded thoughtfully, "So, why were you late this morning?"

He gave a soft laugh, averting his eyes downward as he swallowed before shrugging, "It was nothing."

"Jeremy, I've been teaching your since September, and I like to think I know you pretty well. Talk to me, kid." She smiled kindly but the boy didn't look up. Sighing, she stood from the piano stool and stepped across to stand beside the boy, kicking her shoes off. She struggled to the floor, restricted by her tight skirt, and sat beside the boy on the floor, her legs stretched out in front of her as she leaned her back on the wall, "I have as long as you do."

He sighed, resting his head against the wall behind him and sending the teacher a sidelong glance, "You're really gonna make me do this, huh?" he grimaced and she nodded apologetically, "Fine. Although I hope you know you're no longer my favourite teacher. And you're not as good-looking as you think you are." He scowled begrudgingly and she snorted,

"Yes I am."

"Yes you are. How do you even get your face to look like that? Do you moisturize?" he asked interestedly and she laughed at the boy's serious tone.

"Stop changing the subject. And yes, not that you actually care. What's going on?"

"There just these guys, that's all." He shrugged casually and Santana frowned,

"Okay. Did they hit you? I saw the bruise on your jaw. And why?" Suddenly she felt very grown up, and very, very responsible. She wasn't sure she liked it.

"Sort of, one of them shoulder-barged me. But he was way bigger than me and got my face by accident. I say by accident, he looked fairly triumphant." He added thoughtfully, before looking down again with a sigh "And they're bullying me because I'm gay."

"Oh." She nodded, slightly taken aback, "I didn't know you were gay."

"Neither did I, but they seem pretty insistent." He rolled his eyes with a small chuckle, and Santana nodded her understanding, "Yeah, I'm not gay. But I think it's probably because I know that one of the guys is."

"So he's having conflicting feelings and taking them out on you? And how do you know he's gay?" she frowned down at her hands as Jeremy replied.

"He's best friends with my sister; she let it slip in conversation the other day. It's not like I've told anyone, or even care; why would I? And he's not even the one doing it, he just started a rumour that I am so the other guys would hear. It's so stupid." He shook his head disbelievingly, heaving another sigh, and Santana felt a lump form in her throat, her heart aching with sympathy for him.

"Right, I see. Have you tried maybe talking to the guy about it? Saying you don't care but it's not fair for you to be bullied because of his insecurities?" she shrugged with a frown, but Jeremy shook his head.

"I tried but he won't talk to me, he just calls me a fag and yells at me to get lost. And I can't get my sister to because firstly, she would never do _anything _I ask, and secondly her room is being redecorated so she's staying at our aunt's this week so I haven't seen her anyway."

"Well, do you want me to talk to her? She's still been coming to school I'm assuming? If not we have another issue." She grimaced comically and he gave a small chuckle, "What classes does she have today?"

"Maybe, that might help" he smiled and she nodded, "But I have no idea."

"Okay, well after next lesson I'll go to the main office and find out what she has, and see if I can talk to her, yeah?" he nodded and she smiled, "Good. And just so you know; if you have any other problems you can totally tell me. Because I'm not beating everything out of you, it takes way too long and I don't care enough about you for this kind of stress." She deadpanned and he rolled his eyes.

"Do I get a cupcake for my hardship?" he pouted, giving Santana puppy dogs, and she averted her eyes with a small frown, clearing her throat quietly,

"Um, no." She swallowed a lump in her throat as the boy's jaw dropped, slapping his hands down on the floor in protest, "I mean, she's not really baking much right now." She shook her head sadly, biting her lip.

"Wow, you really care about those cupcakes." He frowned, confusion evident on his face, and Santana rolled her eyes with a soft laugh.

"No, it's not that, I just, I mean. I know the baker that's all." She blushed slightly and Jeremy raised a suspicious eyebrow, shifting to face the teacher.

"Why are you blushing, Miss L?" she opened her mouth to reply but no words came, instead shaking her head furiously, "Oh my God, do you like her?" he grinned in delight and Santana shook her head again.

"No, Jeremy this is none of your, I mean, we shouldn't be-"

"You totally do! You have a crush on the baker lady! No wonder you don't mind bringing cupcakes for everyone!" he clapped his hands in delight and Santana rolled her eyes.

"It's cupcake girl not baker lady, and I don't have a crush on her! I mean, well, no it's none of your business!" the blush creeping up her neck had now reached her cheeks and turned her face bright red, and she gritted her teeth as the boy laughed excitedly.

"Miss L has a crush! Miss L has a crush!" he chanted, bouncing up and down, and Santana clenched her fists before dropping her head into her hands with a small groan, "It's okay, miss, I totally won't tell anyone you're crushing on the cupcake lady."

"I'm not crushing on her!" Santana almost screamed, and the boy smirked knowingly, "Jeremy I swear, if you don't get rid of that smug expression, I'm gonna-"

"You love her. You wanna kiss her." He began to sing and Santana rolled her eyes with a heavy sigh,

"Jeremy!" the boy immediately stopped singing, grinning cheekily, "You think you're so smart. For your information, I'm not crushing on her. She's my girlfriend. And I live with her. Or I will. Soon. Sometime soon." She rambled thoughtfully, before the boy's voice brought her back to the present

"Awh that's cute. Is that why you bring cupcakes for everyone on their birthdays?" he sat back against the wall with an interested smile and she gave a soft chuckle.

"No, actually I didn't know her before then. That's how I met her actually." She grinned sheepishly and Jeremy nodded thoughtfully.

"Well then you totally owe me. Mine was the first birthday; I'm totally responsible for your love!" He giggled evilly, shrinking away as Santana glared at him, "Cool, is she pretty?"

"The prettiest. She's gorgeous." She nodded happily before turning back to the boy, "Okay, We've totally wasted this whole lesson, and you're a master of procrastination. So how about you gets up and help me stand, seeing as I've wasted enough of my precious time dealing with your whiney teenage angst?" she smiled sweetly at him and he rolled his eyes, climbing to his feet.

"When I have self-esteem issues, I'm blaming you." He held out his hands and pulled the woman to her feet with a mock-serious expression, and she grinned.

"We both know your ego is way too over-inflated for that ever to be an issue." She slid her shoes back on and smiled sweetly, "Now, you have like half an hour left, get some work done." She left the room with a small wave, and smiled triumphantly to herself as she wandered back down the corridor, taking a few calming breaths before entering the classroom once again.

-ooOoo-

"Hey, gorgeous." Santana smiled as she entered the house, seeing Quinn cooking in the kitchen, dropping her bag onto the kitchen table with a smile, "How was your day?"

"Pretty good" she turned to kiss the brunette, stirring the sauce on the stove, "Did some gardening with my aunt. Sorted some finances for the bakery. You?"

Santana placed her hands on the counter either side of the blonde, dropping her chin onto the girl's shoulder, "It was good. Jeremy's being bullied for being gay, though."

"I didn't know he was gay?" Quinn frowned, "That's horrible."

Santana immediately regretted telling the blonde, suddenly aware of the ramifications it could cause. She bit her lip worriedly before answering, "Well he's not anyway. But I spoke to his sister and hopefully it'll stop soon."

"Well that's good then. Were they really horrible to him?" Quinn grimaced and Santana immediately shook her head casually,

"Just some names and stuff. He dealt with it really well actually. It's all because another guy is gay and insecure, that's all." She felt the blonde sigh sadly, and spun her round to face her, "Hey. Smile please, it makes you fifty times more beautiful." Quinn gave her a small smile, her eyes still trained on Santana's collar, and the brunette placed two fingers under her chin, lifting Quinn's face to meet her eyes. She brushed a strand of blonde hair from the girl's eyes and leaned in for a gentle kiss, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"I also found out, from a trustworthy source, that you are incredibly missed at the bakery." She grinned at the blonde, who raised a puzzled eyebrow,

"Who?"

"Jeremy." She nodded confidently, and Quinn laughed.

"Did you talk to anyone else today?"

"Yeah but most of the other kids suck." Quinn shook her head in disbelief and Santana shrugged, resting her hands on the blonde's hips as Quinn fiddled with the collar of her shirt, "What? I can totally say that, I'm not at school now. But yeah, he was terribly disappointed when I told him I couldn't get him a cupcake. Almost distraught." she teased, and the blonde grinned bashfully.

"Well, you can tell him that the bakery will be opening again on Wednesday." She replied confidently, glancing up to meet Santana's eye, and the brunette raised her eyebrows interestedly.

"Oh really? He'll be very pleased to hear that." She dropped her voice and brushed the girl's nose with her own, "How come?"

"Well, it's time to face the music. You can't run forever, right?" Quinn closed her eyes and rested her forehead against Santana's, who shook her head in agreement.

"No, you cannot. So you're ready to go home?" she watched the girl's serene face with a small smile, and Quinn took a deep breath.

"Yes. I'll finish helping my aunt tomorrow, and finish off some of the stuff for the bakery. Then we'll go back. And then maybe in a few weeks I'll tell my landlord I'll be moving out. That sound okay?" she frowned slightly, and swallowed, waiting for the brunette to reply. Santana smiled, closing her eyes and breathing in the girl's familiar tangy scent.

"That sounds perfect."

-ooOoo-

"Rachel Berry speaking"

"Ew, what was that?" Santana grimaced, glancing sidelong at the phone.

"Santana?" Rachel frowned, raising an eyebrow at the three others.

"No, it's Morgan Freeman, got any bones that need collecting?" she smirked at the reference and Rachel frowned.

"ONLY THE ONE IN HER PANTS!" Brittany shouted into the phone, and Santana immediately snorted with laughter as Rach made confused mumbling noises.

"Good call, Britts! Phone five!" Santana grinned and Rachel rolled her eyes, as Jess reached over to mute the TV, her eyes still trained on the silent figures on the screen.

"Ugh, I'm never putting you on speaker ever again. Where are you calling from anyway, you didn't come up on the caller ID?" she frowned as she sat back on the arm chair, placing the phone on the coffee table in front of the other two girls on the couch, Jess' legs draped across Brittany's lap, both still in their dance kit from earlier that day.

"I'm using Quinn's aunt's house-phone sorry, mine died" Santana explained casually, perching on the arm-rest of the sofa as she watched Quinn and her aunt clearing away from dinner, "Anyway-"

"Why are you at Quinn's aunt's?" Rachel grimaced in confusion looking to the two girls on the sofa, narrowing her eyes when the girls didn't seem to be surprised, instead looking expectantly at each other. Brittany nodded at Jess,

"You were supposed to tell her." She said, but Jess shook her head cluelessly with a shrug.

"I thought you told her."

"You guys didn't tell her? Not even _Sam_?" Santana rolled her eyes, dropping back to sit on the couch, her legs hanging over the arm.

"Oh Rachel, by the way," Jess smiled sweetly, "Santana went to go stay with Quinn and her aunt, they'll be back in a few days."

"What?" Rachel's mouth was hanging open and Santana sighed.

"Gee, thanks Jess." She deadpanned, "Yeah I came to stay with Q because she was alls depressed. It doesn't even matter, I was just calling to tell you we're coming home tomorrow anyway."

"This is ridiculous, why did no one tell _me_ this?" Rachel demanded, and Santana waited patiently as the girls bickered on the other end of the line.

"Well we would have if we'd seen you in the past week!" Brittany defended, holding her hands out palm up, and Jess smirked.

"Yeah, if you hadn't constantly been making use of Sam's giant lips we might have got a word in edgeways." Jess added with a snort, and Santana grimaced, pulling the phone away from her ear disgustedly,

"Eew! Oh my God, Jess, why? I just ate! That's my girlfriend's brother and Berry, eew!"She rubbed at her temple with a scowl.

"Hey, Santana!" Rachel pouted but Jess was biting her lip guiltily,

"I didn't mean it like that! I'm sorry!" she gave the blonde beside her a self-pitying pout, and Brittany chuckled sympathetically, lifting her legs onto the sofa and lying beside the smaller brunette with a smile.

"God, this conversation is way more stressful than necessary; no wonder Q wanted to leave the city." Santana rolled her eyes at the blonde who entered the room with a grin, perching beside her on the sofa. Santana lifted her head as Quinn sat down, resting it back down on her girlfriend's lap as she continued, "_Anyway_…Q is going to bring our stuff home tomorrow while I'm at work and we'll see you maybe the day after? Hold on, Q's here!" she frowned down at the phone in her hand, reading the words above the buttons until the blonde reached out and pressed a button near the top. Santana recoiled slightly as a torrent of greetings echoed down the phone from the three girls.

"Hiya love, how goes it?" Jess grinned and Quinn laughed at her best friend's greeting.

"Not so bad, how are you guys?" she beamed down at Santana with a sheepish grin, stroking the girl's dark hair across her lap.

"Pretty good. What do you think of karaoke night?" Brittany called, and Santana raised an eyebrow before Quinn gave a gentle nod in reply.

"Okay cool. Bar times. But yeah, and we were thinking uh…" she glanced up and the blonde who gave an amused smirk, "In a few weeks maybe me and Q are gonna just like…maybe just live in one place." She swallowed after stuttering through announcement and Quinn rolled her eyes, cupping Santana's face and leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead, her short blonde hair falling around them like a curtain.

"Santana you are romantically inept!" Rachel called as Brittany and Jess squealed with excitement. Santana pouted comically and Quinn scrunched her nose up with a small smile, shaking her head to comfort the brunette, who grinned, "But we're very happy for you!"

"God, we're all grown-ups." Brittany frowned thoughtfully, "It's sick."

"Honey, we spent last night watching The Black Cauldron and cowering in fear from that big guy with horns." Jess pointed out with a grin, and Brittany tilted her head in consideration.

"Yeah, we're not grown-ups." She shook her head and Santana and Quinn giggled as they exchanged a glance.

"Yeah, so we'll see you guys soon okay?" Quinn smiled and the girls all called out their approval, "Okay then. See you later, love you!"

"We love you more!" Rachel grinned, reaching for the phone.

"You're the bestest, Q!"

"Love you lots like Jelly Tots!" Jess added with a smirk, and Santana glared stonily at Quinn.

"_I love you too, guys_." She deadpanned and Quinn giggled, leaning down to kiss the brunette gently on the lips.

"Yeah, whatever." Rachel replied as Brittany and Jess sniggered.

"We love you, too, Sanny!" the blonde shout and Santana smiled sarkily,

"Love you batinas like spoilt Latinas." Jess replied and they chortled.

"That's not a word, Jess." Quinn answered, but Santana shushed her immediately,

"Zip it, blondie, stop stealing my love!" she pouted petulantly, "Anyway, see you later!"

They said their goodbyes and Santana passed the phone to Quinn to remove speakerphone and hang up. The blonde placed the phone back in its cradle and turned back to the girl in her lap.

"You're beautiful." She said thoughtfully, stroking Santana's face with a small smile.

"I could say the same to you. I won't, but I could." She replied cheekily, grinning at the blonde above her and reaching up to clasp her hands around Quinn's neck, pulling the girl down into a long kiss, "I love you."

"I love you too. Even if you're a total ass."

"I'm _your_ ass." She smiled sweetly, flicking at the blonde hairs hanging around their faces.

"No, my ass looks way better."


	45. Not Getting Married Today

**Hey guys! Sorry this took sooo long, I've had a really busy time at the moment! Also sorry it's a bit shorter than the last couple of chapters, but I promise it won't be as long before the next chapter and it will be longer, sorry about the wait, still love you all!**

* * *

><p>"Oh my God, look at you!" Santana grinned as she stepped into the lime green shop, raising her eyebrows as the blonde behind the counter looked up.<p>

"Hey, guys" she glanced around at Santana, Jess and Brittany with a smile before looking back to her girlfriend with a confused frown, "What? What do you mean?"

"Nothing, you just look gorgeous." She chuckled and placed her palms on the counter, lifting herself up to lean in and place a sweet kiss on Quinn's lips, pulling back to roll her eyes when the other girls made noises of disgust, dropping back onto the floor, "Although I am surprised you're in today."

"Yeah, I thought you'd at least wait until tomorrow?" Jess grimaced in bemusement, and Quinn shrugged light-heartedly.

"Well I got back and unpacked my stuff, and then went and unpacked yours," she added to Santana, who grinned happily before turning her attention to the glass cabinet, where Brittany was staring intently at the rows of cupcakes, "And then I was just sat kinda bored. So I came and baked a few batches and opened up. I mean I need to get back into the routine, and definitely need to prepare more before I open up tomorrow." She shook her head with a small smile before turning to Brittany, who was listening restlessly with a patient smile, "Brittany, what can I do for you?"

"Are those really the coconut cupcakes?" she asked directly.

"Yes. Yes they are. I only baked a few batches, but I knew that if I didn't make them, sod's law would dictate that you came in." she reached into the glance case and passed the cake across to Brittany with a flourish.

"All is right with the world!" the taller blonde grinned, tucking in to her cupcake with a content sigh as Jess handed the money across the counter,

"So you're feeling good then?" she asked sympathetically, and Santana glanced up at the two girls, watching subtly out of the corner of her eyes.

"Yes" the blonde nodded confidently, "Definitely. I feel like I'm getting back to real life you know? Oh, and Santana you're not subtle, it's rude to stare." She kept her eyes trained on Jess as she made the last comment, giggling when Santana averted her eyes downwards with a blush, suitably chastised.

"Or is wight wib da wor" Brittany grinned through a mouth full of cupcake, and Santana stared at her with a frown, eyes wide, while Quinn raised an eyebrow and Jess narrowed her eyes thoughtfully,

"'All is right with the world'…?" she asked, and fist-pumped when Brittany nodded enthusiastically, giving their usual weird high-five.

"You guys are dorks." Santana sighed, and Jess and Brittany glared, the blonde's arm wrapped around Jess' waist, her temple resting against her girlfriend's, "Anyway, what are you doing tonight?"

She grinned at Quinn, who raised an eyebrow, "Rock climbing, then roller skating before pottery. Wanna go all Ghost with me?" she winked comically and Santana laughed, "Nothing, of course I'm not doing anything. Why?"

"Well I was going to take you on a date, but if you're going to be sarcastic…" Santana turned her head away in haughty refusal, and Quinn groaned with a pout, tugging on the girls arm until she turned back with a grin, leaning on the counter, "I was thinking date night?"

"I'm listening?" Quinn grinned slyly and leaned her forearms on the counter beside the brunette's,

"One of my students was talking about it today, and I immediately thought of you and rang to get us tickets because I know how much you love the book." She glanced up at the blonde, whose eyebrows were raised in excited interest, and beamed in anticipation as she stroked her fingers along the blonde's delicate wrists, "So…Wind in the Willows is being performed at Central Park tonight, at the open air theatre, if you wanted to go?"

She watched as the blonde's face lit up with shock and then excitement, "Yes! Oh my God, yes! Yes-"

"Wanky." Jess muttered and Brittany sniggered as the other girls ignored her,

"Oh my God! You are incredible!" Quinn grabbed Santana's hands in her own and leaned in for a kiss, grinning all the while, "That is awesome; I can't wait! You're the best!"

"Good! I knew you'd like it." Santana averted her eyes, blushing through her grin, "It starts at eight, so it's kind of a late start but it means we have plenty of time to get there, okay?"

"Perfect!" Quinn clapped her hands together and Santana giggled with relief, as Brittany nudged Jess, both still watching the other girls' interaction. Jess looked up to her girlfriend and raised an eyebrow as Brittany murmured out of the corner of her mouth.

"San is getting _so_ lucky tonight."

-ooOoo-

"Oh my God, I'm so excited." Quinn shook her head disbelievingly as they entered the outdoor arena, set up for the event. Santana smiled her appreciation as she looked around the theatre in awe. The whole set had been designed to use as much of the natural scenery as possible, with only a few props and backdrops here and there.

"I know, sweetie. You haven't stayed still for more than thirty seconds since we left the bakery." She chuckled as the blonde bit her lip in anticipation, butterflies swarming in her stomach, and handed their tickets to one of the stewards, immediately following the young man to their place on the raked seating. They were some of the first to arrive, but over the next half hour hoards of people coursed in and took their seats. Santana had bought a program on the way in, and was flicking through it with a small frown when Quinn suddenly gripped her sleeve, staring at the entrance to the arena.

"Baby, I swear to God if this is another part of the surprise, I may have to punch you in the face." She spoke seriously, and Santana's eyes widened in alarm as she craned her neck to look over people's heads in the direction Quinn was staring.

"What? What are you talking about?" she frowned, shaking her head as she tried to follow the blonde's line of vision.

"Look!" Quinn grabbed her head and pulled it in front of her, pointing her arm straight down, and Santana grunted her discomfort, the girl's hand still on her head, until her mouth dropped open as her eyes fell on the tall blonde boy and much shorter brunette. She swore quietly as Quinn turned her head around to look back at her with a glare "I am _not_ double-dating with my _brother_."

"Screw that!" Santana wriggled her head out of the blonde's tense grasp, "I'm not double dating with _Berry_." She grimaced worriedly, watching as the other couple took their seats a few rows down from them, "Well…we'll just have to hope they don't see us."

Quinn stared at her sarcastically for a moment, rolling her eyes, "And here I planned on holding a banner with their names on." She giggled, looking back down at the others unsurely, before grimacing and looking away as they began kissing fervently.

"Eew. In public!" Santana gestured to them with a disgusted frown, "Anyway it'll be fine. If they keep doing that they won't even know we're here. And if they turn around or something, we'll just…DUCK!" she grabbed the blonde's shoulder and pulled her head down between her legs, peeking up a few moments later to see Rachel frowning up at the crowd, allowing the blonde to sit up again once the smaller girl had turned back to the stage. "Maybe we could move seats?"

Quinn sighed with a small shrug, "No. You know what? We came here for an amazing night, on an amazing date planned by my amazing girlfriend," she looked at Santana pointedly and leaned over for a quick kiss before resting her head on the brunette's shoulder, hugging Santana's arm to her, "Let's just enjoy it. If they see us, well they see us. They can't really do anything about it; we'll just have to hope they don't invite themselves to dinner with us afterwards." She shrugged again and Santana nodded sadly.

"I suppose. God, one day I will actually manage to take you on a date without _something_ going wrong!" she sighed, staring down at her hands in lap, fiddling nervously, and Quinn glanced up at her in concern before reaching over and stopping Santana's hands.

"Don't worry, sweetie. I still think this was an incredible idea, and it's the thought that counts." She stretched up and placed a gentle kiss on Santana's jaw, and the brunette smiled, blushing slightly as she met Quinn's eyes.

"Okay." She leaned in for another longer kiss, until the lights began to dim and the soft notes of the theme began to play, and Quinn sighed contentedly.

"I absolutely love this music."

Santana held back a small grin, sending the blonde a side-long glance, "I can_ play_ this music." She announced with a proud smile, and Quinn turned to her excitedly.

"No way! You have to play it for me later." She whispered with a grin, eyes trained on the stage as the music faded out and the lights came up on the scene.

"Will do" Santana replied with a happy shrug as they both focused on the stage.

-ooOoo-

"That was amazing!" Quinn beamed, still clutching Santana's hand between her own, pumping her arm enthusiastically.

"I'm guessing you enjoyed yourself then?" Santana struggled through her laughter, wrenching her arm from Quinn's grip and palming her shoulder with a playful scowl.

"Yes!" the blonde reached over to rub her girlfriend's arm, leaning in for a quick kiss as the crowds began to dissipate, "You are the best, I loved it. Thank you." She grinned again before glancing over her shoulder in the direction of Sam and Rachel's seats, and stood up with a smile when she realised they must already be heading home, holding her hand out towards Santana. The brunette took it, linking their fingers, and turned to lead them out of the large outdoor auditorium, but Quinn tugged on her arm as they left the arena, "Hold on, those are the toilets over there. I don't know when the next ones will be." She pressed a quick kiss to Santana's cheek as the brunette nodded easily, mildly distracted by the scenery, and skipped off quickly to join the small queue.

Santana wandered over to a nearby bench, gazing around at her surroundings. She watched two young children running around the small patch of grass with a puzzled grin, contemplating why they were allowed to be awake so late, but giggling at their shouts and games. She watched as they realised their parents were walking off, chasing after them guiltily, and caught the blonde's eye as her head turned. Quinn's shoulders slumped impatiently and she pulled a comical grimace, and Santana giggled until the queue moved forwards and Quinn gave her a little wave as she entered the small building. Turning her attention back to the scenery, her eyes grew wide with horror as she spotted the back of a very small, very familiar, brunette.

She glanced from side to side quickly, searching for an escape route as Rachel wandered in small lines, a mere twenty foot away. Grasping at the air in desperation, she stood from the bench and spun wildly, glancing back to the girl and flapping hopelessly as she began to turn on the spot. She darted to the right before realising there was nothing there but a wall and Staff-Only door, spinning exasperatedly on her heel and darting her eyes to Rachel, who was almost facing her now, as she ran back the way she had come. Glancing hopelessly around, she flung herself onto the ground behind a trash can as Rachel turned, sinking down onto her haunches on the ground. She ducked her head down and stared at the wall in front of her, rolling her eyes at her own ridiculous choice of hiding place and grimacing expectantly.

Waiting with baited breath, she bit her thumb nail as she thought of Quinn, and her eyes widened with realisation and horror. The blonde would probably leave the toilets any moment, walk over to where Santana had been sat moments ago, and come face-to-face with Griphook over there. Then her already temperamentally flawed plan would be ruined. Maybe she hadn't thought this through.

She craned her neck in an attempt to see the blonde leaving the toilets, hoping to catch her eye and warn her off before she wandered over, but her vision was obscured by people and walls, and she couldn't even see the toilet block. Just as she considered giving in and standing up, revealing her presence and embarrassment, a figure loomed over her blocking the light, and Santana sighed her defeat before looking up at the girl expectantly. She frowned, eyes wide, as her gaze fell on, not Rachel or Sam, but another familiar figure.

"Miss Lopez?" he frowned, "What are you doing?"

_Crap._

"Hey. Carl. How's things?" she stared into the eyes of her student with a bright smile, shrugging casually.

"Um…" he glanced around before staring back down at her, "It's okay…what are you doing here? On the ground? Behind a trash can?"

_Oh crap._

"You know…" she shrugged, but the boy's penetrating stare never left her shifty eyes, "I just…lost something." She averted her eyes to the floor, glancing around unconvincingly as Carl's eyes widened in bewilderment.

"Santana?"

_Oh crap. Jesus Christ._

She sighed, rolling her eyes inwardly before meeting Rachel's eyes, trying to look surprised, "Rachel! How nice to see you! I didn't realise you were here!" she grinned jovially and Rachel raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Stop being weird and…nice. I already saw you in the auditorium. And we saw you and Quinn duck. And then I saw you hide behind the trash can. You can cut it out now." She rolled her eyes and extended her arm to Santana, her hand out expectantly. Santana rolled her eyes again and took the hand begrudgingly, allowing smaller girl to pull her to her feet.

"So you _were _hiding?" Carl asked, glancing between the two girls with a raised eyebrow, his eyes bright with amusement. Santana clenched her jaw reluctantly, glaring at Rachel before turning back to the boy with an awkward half-smile, her cheeks burning.

"Maybe." The boy's lips clenched together as he attempted to hold back a laugh, his shoulders bucking involuntarily, "Teacher have people to avoid, too, you know, smart ass!" she nodded and looked away guiltily as Carl sniggered, bowing her head to hide her furiously blushing cheeks.

"Okay Miss L, whatever you say." He nodded, unconvinced, and she scowled.

"So, this has been sufficiently awk-" she began, but another voice stopped her.

"Santana?"

_Oh crap. Jesus Christ, I cannot catch a break._

"Oh hey Quinn!" Rachel grinned brightly, and Carl's look of bewilderment increased as the blonde appeared and took Santana's arm, glancing between the three of them with confusion.

"Hey Rach." Quinn smiled politely, nudging Santana subtly and sending her a what-the-hell-did-you-do look, and Santana shrugged bashfully in return, bowing her head again.

"I uh, ran into Rachel and Carl here. He's a student." She explained quickly, nodding at the floor, and Quinn raised her eyebrows nodding her understanding and smiling at Carl, immediately pulling back from Santana slightly as Rachel sniggered.

"'Ran into', really?" she exchanged an amused look with Carl, who was now stood looking very confused and like there was nowhere else he wanted to be less, glancing around for his family and an escape route as Rachel continued, "She didn't run into us, she was hiding and…Carl, here, found her."

"Shut up, Berry." Santana scowled through her humiliation, before glaring at the boy "Carl, isn't it a school night? It's kind of late…" he nodded furiously and left sniggering, "And don't you dare tell anyone about the trash can!" she screamed after him as he burst out laughing a few paces away. Santana shook her head and grunted agitatedly at the ground, still blushing.

"So," Quinn began with a polite smile, "we didn't know you guys were here, Ra-"

"Save it, she saw us hiding all night." Santana admitted begrudgingly, and Rachel nodded smugly.

"Yes, we know all about your attempted subterfuge escapades, so you can drop the act. Sam's _obviously_ here too, somewhere…" she waved a finger around at the surrounding area with a small sigh, "we're celebrating, but he sort of just…ran off. Momentarily." She frowned as she trailed off, glancing around nervously for her absent boyfriend, and Santana's lip curled in confusion as Quinn narrowed her eyes.

"Like what, literally just ran?" Santana asked, gesticulating as she spoke "Coz I dunno, I might be a lesbo and all, but I don't usually think that's a good sign, Esther."

"No! Of course not; he wouldn't just run out on our celebration night. He just said he had to sort something out and then kind of…dashed off." She nodded, chewing at her lips, and Quinn rolled her eyes with a grimace.

"He probably saw something shiny or Star Wars-themed and got distracted." She deadpanned and she Santana snickered, cut off quickly by a glare from the short brunette, and Quinn shrugged innocently, "Anyway, what are you celebrating?"

"Awh, Q! You ruined the game." Santana scowled, "I was trying to see how many more times I could get her to mention it without asking." She pouted down at the ground and Quinn giggled, resting her head on Santana's shoulder in apology, and Rachel glared at the couple with a deep-set frown as they smirked back at her.

"I don't like you guys anymore; you're a mean couple." She hissed impatiently, "But I shall rise above it. Yes, I am celebrating, and although I have half a mind to not tell you and not let you enter my positive energy bubble of triumph and victory, I will be the bigger person out of the three of us-"

"Good luck with that." Quinn interjected, her brow furrowed and eyes narrowed with incomprehension, and Rachel took a deep breath, ignoring the blonde.

"I got a part." She said simply with a shrug, pausing before adding, "On Broadway."

Her face split into a huge grin, and the girls' jaws immediately dropped in glee, Santana's expression quickly morphing into a proud grin as she broke free of Quinn's grasp and grabbed Rachel in a tight hug, swinging her up into the air as Quinn whooped and clapped and Rachel giggled, "That's what I'm talking about!" Santana grinned, setting Rachel back down on the floor, "So they're finally making a Lord of the Rings musical?" she teased enthusiastically, and Rachel rolled her eyes with a laugh, giving Santana a small shove as she spotted Sam approaching across the small paved area through the small crowd.

"No…." she clasped her hands together with a grin, eyebrows raised expectantly.

"Are you chorus or something?" Santana asked with a grin, but Rachel shook her head.

"Nope. It's a proper role…in one of our favourite shows." She grinned in anticipation and the girls looked thoughtful.

"Uh…Wicked?" Quinn asked, and Rachel shook her head.

"Lion King?" Santana asked with a clueless grimace, but Rachel shook her head again.

"Cats?"

"Funny Girl?"

"That's not even on Broadway!" Rachel sighed exasperatedly as Sam joined them with a frown, wrapping an arm around Rachel's waist and nodding to Quinn and Santana with a knowing smile, and they smiled back guiltily, "I'll give you a clue, 'but I may be coming down with Hepatitis'"

Santana gasped, her face lit up with shocked delight as Quinn frowned, raising an eyebrow, "Rent?"

"That's HIV" Rachel shook her head as Santana began flapping her hands excitedly,

"_Company!"_ she announced, her eyes wide and mouth open in a grin, and Rachel took a deep breath, her face a picture of restrained joy, before she nodded enthusiastically and Santana rushed forwards again, pulling Rachel into a tight hug as they both jumped up and down squealing.

"Yeah, it's awesome, huh?" Sam grinned, reaching out to wrap an arm around Rachel, but Santana slapped his hand away,

"Back off, Trouty! My hobbit's gonna be in a Sondheim!" Sam pulled his arm back, staring at Quinn in horror, who shrugged.

"She really loves Company." She shook her head cluelessly, "Just give her a minute."

The girls eventually pulled apart, and Santana shook her head in disbelief, still grinning wildly, "I can't believe it. I'm so happy. I'm so proud of you! Ugh, I hate it; I can't wait until opening night. I don't think I've ever been more excited for anything, it makes me sick." She grimaced and Quinn rolled her eyes as Sam frowned quizzically,

"Okay, I know we're proud and everything, but I kind of need to whisk Rach away…" he trailed off nervously and the smaller brunette grinned up at him,

"Yes. Go! We're so proud of you, Rach, go have fun. We'll celebrate tomorrow night at karaoke and see you on opening night!" Quinn winked cheekily and they waved the other couple off with matching grins.

"I can't believe Company is coming back to Broadway." Santana stared disbelievingly as Quinn took her hand and began to walk, "I can't believe Rachel's going to be in a Sondheim. Company. I can't believe she's playing Amy. She's my favourite. Aside from April, maybe."

Quinn nodded solemnly as Santana babbled, leading her out of the park, "I'm so proud, of course, but I think the whole thing would be more impressive if I'd ever seen Company. All I know of it is that Christina Hendricks played April once, and you're a pervert." She smiled sweetly and Santana smirked bashfully, "Anyway, tonight was awesome. And you are the best girlfriend ever, even if you are a total dork and couldn't think of a better hiding place than…" Quinn paused, before quirking her eyebrows with a small nod, "a trash can."

"Whatever, I was just hoping she wouldn't find me so date night wouldn't be ruined!" Santana defended with a pitying giggle, and Quinn shook her head with a small chuckle.

"It's okay, I appreciate the sentiment."

"You know, one of these days," Santana nodded thoughtfully as they left through the gate of the park, "I'm going to take you on a date where nothing goes horribly wrong."

"Wow. That is a tall order." Quinn nodded with an impressed smirk, "Do you really think you're up to the challenge? I mean, no offence, but plans going smoothly isn't really your thing."

"What?" Santana gasped defensively, offended, "I'm smooth as hell, bitch!"

"Whatever you say, gorgeous." The blonde teased, sticking her tongue out through her teeth with a cheeky grin, and Santana scowled.

"Whatever." She glared for another moment, refusing to break eye contact with Quinn, until her toe caught a crack in the ground and she tripped only just catching her footing, and allowing the other girlfriend to help her upright.

Quinn took a deep breath as Santana dusted herself off, fanning herself with her hand and smirking as she breathed heavily, "Ooh God, that was smooth as _hell_." she bit her lip seductively and rolled her eyes back in her head before grinning and shaking her head at a begrudging Santana, grabbing her hand with a chuckle, and pulling her along the street once again.


	46. Company

**Hey guys! I'm soooo sorry it's taken me forever to update this story! Updates will be a lot more regular again now, I moved away for work and then moved back so I had no computer for the last few months. But Sweetie Pie's is back up and running and will be updated again soon! Thank you for sticking with me!**

* * *

><p>"When did I stop going running?" Santana huffed, staring at the ceiling before yawning widely. Quinn giggled and Santana smiled, feeling the vibrations rumble through the back of her head. They were laid on the floor beside the bed, wrapped up in sheets with Santana's head resting on Quinn's stomach.<p>

"When have you _ever_ gone running?" Quinn smirked, propping herself up on one elbow as she raked her fingers through the brunette's hair,

"Every morning!" Santana replied indignantly, "I used to go for a run every single morning before work, _believe it or not_."

"Not" Quinn snorted, "Well, you clearly stopped going running when you met me. You can barely keep up these days." She winked cheekily and Santana glowered, placing a hand round the blonde's neck to pull her down into a long kiss until Quinn groaned, "Sweetie, I'm doubled over and my back is breaking."

"Good." Santana glared, before giggling and releasing her grip, "Sorry, my bad."

Quinn sat up once again, clutching the sheet around her chest as she arched her back with a playful grimace, "God when did my hair get so long?" she ran the ends through her fingers, staring down with a thoughtful expression.

"'_You clearly stopped getting it cut when you met me.'_" Santana parroted in a mimicking voice, and Quinn narrowed her eyes, gently slapping the girl's bare arm. Santana scrunched up her face in a pout, "Ugh, do we _have_ to go tonight?"

"_Yes_"_. _

"Why?" she sighed, stretching the word into a long whine, "Can't we skip? It can be my early birthday present?"

"No, besides I've already planned your birthday." Santana opened her mouth to speak, eyes wide with excitement, but Quinn shook her head firmly, "And I haven't seen the girls, or Sam, or Puck, in what feels like forever, and its Rachel's celebration night, and it's our first karaoke night in over two months and I'm going and you're going, and you're going to be nice and polite to _everyone_ and we will have fun. _Okay?_" Quinn smiled sweetly, her head cocked to one side, and Santana lifted her head off the girl's lap, her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I'll give you two out of three. I can do nice and polite, but I can't promise that extends to Berry." She smirked wickedly and Quinn rolled her eyes with an impatient sigh. Santana grimaced and flopped her head dramatically, dropping back down into Quinn's lap, "_Fine_. But I'm not buying anybody drinks."

Quinn giggled, shaking her head despairingly, and lifted Santana head off her lap to slide her legs out, "Gee, I can't wait to live with you, Mr Scrooge." She deadpanned, letting the sheets drop down onto Santana as she pulled herself to her feet, "I'm going to take a shower and get ready." Quinn turned to leave the room, stopping to lean on the doorframe and turn back to Santana, still sprawled on the floor, "And I would suggest you do the same."

She quirked an eyebrow cheekily and left the room, wandering down the hall towards the bathroom. Santana paused for a moment, glancing around the room thoughtfully, before smirking and leaping up enthusiastically, chasing down the blonde in the bathroom.

-ooOoo-

"Hey you guys!" Rachel beamed, arms outstretched, as they entered the bar, "God, it's been so long!"

"And yet not long enough." Santana muttered, earning herself a sharp elbow to the ribs as Quinn stepped into Rachel's embrace.

"What up, Sanny?" Brittany grinned as the brunette slid into the booth, "Heard the news?"

"Hey guys. No, what do you mean?" she frowned as the other girls joined them at the table.

"What news?" Quinn asked, and Jess raised an eyebrow, a sly smirk playing on her lips,

"Apparently Puck's bringing a lady-friend along with him tonight." she grinned, and Santana and Quinn's jaws dropped open as the blonde's hand quickly found her own under the table.

"Oh my God, no way! Who is she?" Santana grinned, her face lighting up with delight.

"We have no idea." Sam announced his presence as he returned from the bar, pushing drinks across to each of the girls and sitting beside Rachel, swinging an arm around her shoulders.

"Yes, Puck has divulged as much information as he wishes to. He's saying no more." Rachel nodded regretfully, "No matter how much I tried. All he was willing to say is that she's," she raised her hands in air-quotes, "'Smokin' hot and all up on pornos'" The others all widened their eyes in shock and Sam shook his head quickly.

"No, no! She's not _actually_ a pornstar! She just owns an adult film store." He raised his eyebrows and nodded and the girls stared around thoughtfully as they took in this information.

"Hmm. Well there you go." Quinn nodded slowly with a bemused smile, eyes wide, "Well good for him!"

"I wonder what she's like. Who could tame the rampant Puckasaurus?" Brittany wondered with a cheeky grin.

"Well we won't have long to find out, they'll be here soon." Jess shrugged and Rachel rubbed her hamds together excitedly.

"Anyway, Rach, we're supposed to be here for you," Quinn grinned, "Celebration time."

"Excited?" Brittany raised an eyebrow happily and Rachel nodded, frowning slightly.

"Yeah, I guess." She stared down at her hands, rubbing at her knuckles with her thumb, "I mean, I'm really nervous, but that's normal."

"Totally normal," Jess agreed, "I still get ner-"

"It's totally normal to be nervous all the time. I know that. Of course it is." Rachel cut Jess off, talking quickly still nodding at the table, and Santana and Brittany exchanged a wry glance.

"It's nothing to worry about!" Quinn reassured, "Nerves are a good thing. Who was it once said tha-"

"And so what if I feel a little queasy sometimes? And the idea of starting rehearsals in, like, two days makes me want to throw up?" Rachel shrugged, "I mean, I was born for this."

"You _were _born for this," Sam began, "Everyone who meets you kno-"

"And sure there was that time that casting director said I was irritating and shrill, but they must have liked me to give me the role!"

"Exactly, Rachel you're going to be fi-"

"But I mean, what if it doesn't go well? Like, what if I fall on the way in and everybody laughs at me and I land on my throat and my vocal chords snap and I can never work again and I have to get a job working in one of those tollbooths on the subway, and old men urinate against my booth at night and people throw things at me? I'd have to touch dirty coins for a living!" She trailed off into a small whimper and Santana sighed dramatically.

"Okay, Gizmo. I know it's not like you're starring in your perfect role as a Munchkin of Oz or anything. But that director who called you shrill and irritating? Well yeah, okay he was totally right-"

"Santana!" Quinn hissed,

"But you just landed a role in a _Sondheim_! One of the greatest composers and lyricists in the world! His works have been performed incredibly, by millions of performers. Preformed worldwide, even! And yeah that's totally scary-"

"Not helping, Santana!" Rachel snapped, dropping her fisted hands onto the table.

"_Yeah, that's totally scary_," Santana repeated pointedly, "But you get to be in a Sondheim, and that's an amazing opportunity." She lowered her voice to a stage-whisper, "_And I know for a fact you've dreamed of being in Company since you were a little girl because I've caught you singing Being Alive in your underwear _way_ too many times_." Rachel blushed and she sat back with a shrug. "And you get to play _Amy_. She's totally irritating and shrill! It's perfect for you, don't you see that? And I will only ever say this once, but I think you're gonna be awesome. No, I _know_ you will. So shut your pie hole and let's get more drinks, okay?"

"_Santana_?"

-o-

Puck stepped through the door with a self-satisfied grin, pulling a small girl along by the hand. She chewed at her lip, casting a nervous glance around the bar, and he shook his head fondly. "Don't worry, babe, it'll be fine!" He gave her hand a squeeze and led her across to the bar, his heart hammering in anticipation.

"I'm sorry, I've never done this before! I don't get boyfriends, let alone meet their friends!" she shook her head in wonder, leaning forwards and fidgeting with a beermat as Puck ordered before snorting.

"Well yeah, tell me about it. But they're all cool, no worries." He wrapped an arm around her waist and leaned down to place a soft kiss on her cheek as the barman returned with their drinks. Nodding his thanks, they took their drinks and Puck intertwined their fingers once again before beginning to push through the crowd toward the table.

"They're totally staring at me!" she hissed, hiding her face in his shoulder as they weaved through the people.

"No they're not! Okay, Sam kind of is, but I promise he's not judging or anything." He gave her hand a small squeeze, "He's probably just thinking how hot and cute and awesome you are." He grinned and turned, bending to give the girl a quick, reassuring kiss, before continuing to the table.

"Okay okay! I'm just nervous." She squeezed his hand in return and allowed him to continue guiding her through the crowd.

"Oh even better, everyone's out tonight!" he teased, "But don't worry, they're all cool, too."

"_Santana_?"

-o-

Santana's confident demeanour suddenly faltered at the sound of the girl's voice behind her, her eyes narrowing in a confused frown. She turned, placing her elbow on the back of the seat as she craned her neck to look at the girl. Santana's mouth dropped open and she watched, her eyes never leaving the girl, as Puck guided her round to the end of the table with one eyebrow raised in intrigue.

Her breathing hitched as she took in the girl, staring her up and down for a moment before her eyes rested on the familiar face once again, a tight band suddenly constricting in her chest. An uncomfortable heat began prickling up her spine as her eyes skimmed the girl's face, the hairs on her arms and legs standing on end. She swallowed hard, finding Quinn's hand once again and gripping it hard, clutching at the girl for support and reassurance as her stomach plummeted.

The blonde frowned at the girl with Puck, wincing slightly at Santana's tight hold before her eyes returned to her girlfriend's face, eyes narrowed suspiciously. Her eyes searched Santana's expression, watching as the brunette stared up at the red-head, whose shy, polite smile faltered as her gaze flickered between the smiling faces back to Santana's shocked stare. Having looked up at the slight commotion, Rachel's mouth dropped open as her eyebrows shot up into her hairline, and she glanced over to Brittany, finding the blonde already staring at her in shocked panic. Giving Santana's hand a gentle squeeze in return, Quinn swallowed down the fear rising in her chest.

Licking her lips slowly, she took a deep breath, her eyes never leaving the girl's face as her heart pounded in her chest, the blood rushing in her ears, "Lily."

Quinn's heart stopped.

Santana said the name as a statement, and the girl nodded slowly, shifting her weight uncomfortably, "Hey Santana." She gave an awkward laugh before breaking their eye contact and nodding at Rachel and Brittany, "Hey guys. Nice to see you again."

"Yeah. Sure." Brittany deadpanned her reply, her gaze firmly fixed on the label of her beer. Rachel nodded curtly, watching Santana with worry as the brunette continued to stare up at Lily.

"I'm sorry, what's going on?" Sam shook his head cluelessly and Puck frowned.

"You two know each other?" Puck shrugged, bemused, and Lily nodded slightly, opening her mouth to reply, but quickly shutting it wordlessly. Santana cleared her throat quietly, breaking the silence as the other girls stared around awkwardly.

"Um…yeah. Yeah we do." Santana nodded, attempting to silently convey an apology to the blonde beside her before looking back up to Puck, "Yeah. This is my uh, Lily. My Lily. I mean, my ex. My ex-Lily. Ex-girlfriend, Lily." She trailed off quietly, and Quinn began to slide her hand out of Santana's grasp.

She looked up to the blonde, panicked, and tightened her grip, but Quinn pulled away, breaking eye contact with a nervous shudder, "I, uh. I need the bathroom." She stood quickly and hurried off, straightening her skirt nervously as she went.

"No, Quinn!" Santana whipped round, moving to follow the blonde, but Jess' hand on her shoulder stopped her,

"Me too, why don't I go?" Jess shot her a warning look and slid out of the booth, following quickly after the blonde. Santana watched her go wordlessly before turning back to Lily, arms folded in steely resolve once again.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped.

"Hey!" Puck defended, glaring at Santana, but Lily placed a gentle hand on his chest, shaking her head slightly.

"It's okay." She turned back to Santana but Brittany cut in,

"Ooh, which bit's okay? The lying, cheating or manipulation?" she scowled at Lily, who averted her eyes to the table, her face burning.

"Hey!" Puck's glare turned to Brittany, who rolled her eyes as Rachel cut in.

"Yeah, hate to burst your love-bubble, Puck, but you could do so much better than _that__._" She shot Lily a scornful look before wrapping an arm around Sam's waist, pulling him close as she glared at the red-head, who sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry but could we maybe talk about this outside or something?" She gestured to the door, and Santana snorted humourlessly.

"You're damn right we'll take this outside." She stood up and marched past the group, and Lily gave Puck a small smile before following after her.

Puck sat down beside Brittany with a heavy sigh, and Sam turned to look at the door before looking back to the group, "So…anyone wanna tell me what that's about?"

"That _thing_ is Santana's ex-girlfriend." Brittany spat, and Puck rolled his eyes exasperatedly.

"Okay that's it, one more person insults my girlfriend and I'm gonna kick all your asses!" he glared round at them and Rachel sighed.

"You don't even know the half of it, Noah!"

"Well tell us then!" Sam insisted, waving his arms in irritation.

"Fine." Rachel snapped, folding her arms, still glaring at Puck. "Lily and Santana had been dating for years." Puck stared off dreamily, sniggering slightly, and Brittany gave him a sharp elbow in the ribs and a disgusted look as Rachel continued, "Santana was going to propose-"

"Woah." Puck's eyes widened at this realisation, and Sam nodded, impressed.

"Yeah, but she went home one day and found Lily cheating on her instead." Brittany finished bluntly, and Puck's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Really? My Lily? Damn." He stared down at the table, scratching his head thoughtfully, his face a mixture of shock, confusion and anguish.

Rachel and Brittany exchanged a worried look, and Brittany shifted towards the boy, whose head was in his hands, and rubbed his back sympathetically, her voice full of remorse, "Sorry, Puck. Look, I'm sure that was totally a one-time thing. I'm sure you have nothing to worry about it."

"Yeah, and just because we hate her," Rachel began, and the boy's shoulders dropped, "I mean, we don't matter. And we liked her before all of that nasty business…so…maybe we'd like her again. I mean, I can't imagine Santana will ever be willing to hang out with her. Or Quinn. But Sam and Jess don't even know her, and she was always pretty cool, I guess."

"She's cute." Sam interjected with a shrug, and Puck gave a small chuckle, raising his head again with a sigh.

"Yeah I know. She's totally awesome, in like every way! Just, I dunno, things got kind of complicated tonight, huh?"

"Well, do you feel like the awesome is worth the confusion?" Brittany asked simply with a small shrug, and Puck nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeah, totally."

"Well then ignore us. We don't really matter, and you know, like Rach said…we'll totally make an effort to be nice to her. Santana will come round, maybe." She shrugged again and Puck nodded.

"Okay. Yeah, you're right, it's cool. Okay." He gave a small smile and Sam nodded reassuringly, before turning to look towards the window, seeing the silhouettes of the two girls outside, both gesticulating wildly,

"Do you think someone should go out there?" He asked warily, and Rachel snorted,

"No way, I've become rather fond of your genitalia; you're not going anywhere."

-o-

"What are you even doing here?" Santana asked scathingly as Lily appeared behind her, pulling out a packet of cigarettes and offering them to Santana.

"Well, at the start of the night I was on a date with my new boyfriend, and nervous to meet his friends." Santana took the whole packet of cigarettes, giving one back to Lily before lighting another and placing the packet in her own pocket, "Now I'm stood outside with an ex-girlfriend I was a total jerk to, wondering if my new relationship is ruined because of a time I was young and stupid."

"You weren't that young." Santana replied cruelly, "Old enough to know better, either way."

"Yes I was." Lily nodded shamefully.

"So, why are we outside? What do you want from me? Coz right now my girlfriend's in the toilets and I have _no _clue what's going on in her head." She laughed resentfully, staring accusingly at the red-head.

"That's your new girlfriend, huh? She's pretty."

"Yeah I know. Well it was about time I found someone. And she's the best thing ever to have happened to me. So what do you want from me?" she shrugged cluelessly and Lily sighed, staring down at the ground.

"Your forgiveness?"

"No, tough luck. Anything else?" she smiled sweetly and Lily frowned at her, uncomprehending.

"Why are you being like this? I'm sorry, but it was a long time ago, and I tried to call you after to apologize and you wouldn't answer the phone or anything. I tried. I'd just like to clear the air and be friends so this doesn't totally fuck up what I have with Puck, who is an awesome guy."

"Yeah, too good for you." Santana shot back, "And this is how I am now. It's how you made me, thanks for that. And if you recall, I did answer. I answered the first time you called, and asked for an explanation. And you couldn't give me one. So you don't deserve my forgiveness. Get over it." She shrugged casually and Lily's shoulders dropped in disappointment.

"You want an explanation? Okay fine, total cliché, but I was scared. I was scared of doing the whole long-term, girlfriend to wife thing. Marriage, kids, life; all of that was way too soon, and it was just too heavy and I didn't want that. I'm sorry."

"Then why didn't you just tell me? Instead of fucking cheating on me? With some total douchebag, who wasn't even good-looking, by the way!" Santana pointed her finger angrily, jabbing it towards Lily with every point she made, and Lily sniggered slightly.

"He totally wasn't, I know." She shook her head sadly, serious and remorseful once again, "I don't know. I didn't want to just throw you away and lose you, but I didn't want what you wanted, and I totally freaked out and screwed everything up."

"Yes. You did."

"I'm sorry."

"I don't think that's good enough." Santana dropped her gaze to the sidewalk beneath their feet, tossing her cigarette end down and making a point of stubbing it out.

"I'm glad you're happy." Lily offered, "Quinn seems nice. I mean, in those three seconds we spent in the same room where we didn't talk or look at each other or interact in any way."

Santana gave a small snort of laughter before nodding, "Yeah, she is nice. She's awesome. You would like her, had you spent any time together that didn't involve me glaring at you."

"I am sorry."

"I know you are." She sighed, looking back up to meet Lily's eyes. "I can't forgive you. It's been so long but it hurt so much. But I'm happy for you and Puck. And…yeah you have my blessing. And stuff."

"Thank you." Lily stubbed her cigarette out before reaching out to take Santana's hand, "I appreciate it."

"Santana?"

She turned round, her hand still clasped by Lily's, to see Quinn staring at them, her face a mixture of shocked hurt and disgust. Lily immediately dropped her hand, shaking her head quickly as Santana stepped towards Quinn.

"That looked bad, I'm sorry. We were just-"

"Save it." Quinn shook her head quickly, blinking back tears, and turned on her heel to run off down the street. Santana sighed heavily and turned back to Lily,

"Why must you ruin my life _all the time?_" she hissed, before turning to run after her girlfriend, bitgn her lip in worry as she went.


	47. Ideas

"Quinn!" Santana hurried up the stairs after the blonde, still calling her name, as she had the whole journey home.

"Santana please just let me go to bed." Quinn replied, shaking her head sadly as she let herself into the other girl's apartment.

"Okay but please just don't think that was anything it wasn't." She finally caught up to the blonde and followed her into the apartment, chewing her lip in worry, her eyes trained on Quinn as they removed their coats, Santana hanging them both on their respective pegs a moment later.

"Okay I'll bite. What was it?" Quinn stepped across to the sofa, perching on the back and folding her arms, staring patiently at Santana.

"I tried to come after you but Jess said she thought it would be better, and I kind of thought she might be right. Lily, Lily wanted to go outside and talk so we went, and I was all prepared to scream at her. Like, I've wanted to scream at her for a long time," She added thoughtfully, before stepping forward to stand in front of the blonde, her feet either side of Quinn's, "But then I didn't, not really. I told her I wouldn't forgive her, but her and Puck can do whatever they want. It's none of my business, he is my friend…and…that's it." She shrugged simply with a small smile, and Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Awesome, well that's that then!" She shrugged sardonically with a disbelieving smirk, "It'll be awesome next time we all go to the bar. Maybe next time we can _all _hold hands!"

"That was just her being weird!" Santana interjected defensively, "That wasn't me."

"You didn't let go!" Quinn shot back dismissively, "Oh hey, maybe you, me, Puck and Lily could sing something together next time? Maybe L-O-V-E? Ooh, and we can double date, and go for romantic walks on the beach in the moonlight. Awesome!" She shook her head and stepped out of Santana's feet, striding through to the bedroom, quickly stripping off her t-shirt and jeans and changing into pyjama pants.

"What?!" Santana followed after her, her face set in a confused grimace, "Of course it's not like I want to hang out with them or anything. I just, Puck's my friend and I was trying to think of him and his happ-"

"And what about me?!" Quinn sighed heavily, mid-way through changing her t-shirt, and threw the tank top down on the bed in exasperation, "What about me, Santana? Did I even cross your mind?"

"What? What do you mean, of course you did." Santana picked at the broken wood at the end of the bedframe, her expression one of uncomprehending sadness.

"I don't feel like I did. Or you wouldn't have been holding hands with your ex-girlfriend instead of seeing how I felt about meeting her." She took a deep breath and averted her gaze to the bed-sheets, chewing her thumbnail as she composed herself, looking back to Santana with a calmer expression. "I am so glad that you've managed to give Puck and Lily your blessing. You, you are just the sweetest, and the most humble and loyal friend. And that is one of the reasons that I love you so much." She licked her lips and Santana gave a small nod of understanding, "I love that you're okay with that. But I'm not. I'm not even going to pretend that I'm not being an insane and petty and jealous, petulant girlfriend right now."

Santana gave a small chuckle and Quinn smiled sheepishly, reinforcing her point with a confident nod, "Petty and jealous Quinn is kind of cute."

"I'm glad you think so. But I'm not okay with that. I'm sorry, and I'm glad you gave them your blessing if she's going to make Puck happy. But I'm not going to play happily families and hang out with your ex-girlfriend and act like that's normal. Especially not if she's going to hold your hand when I'm not around, and probably make jokes and tell stories about you two and the 'good ol' days' or something." She finished rambling, looking slightly nauseous as she picked up her tank top and pulled it over her head.

"Yeah that is something she'd probably do." Santana agreed thoughtfully, "She's kind of a douche like that."

"Yeah…well…yeah." Quinn trailed off self-consciously, and Santana bit her lip to suppress a giggle, watching Quinn with adoration, "Don't look at me like that. And don't laugh. This isn't funny."

"It's cute."

"No it's not. It's ridiculous. One girl holds your hand and I turn into the Hulk? Really? It's embarrassing and stupid and I shouldn't even care. But I do." She turned on her heel and flopped backwards onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling hopelessly.

"Not one girl, one ex-girlfriend." Santana padded around the bed and sat beside Quinn's head, pulling off her socks and shoes before leaning back on her elbow, reaching over to stroke Quinn's face, "And I can completely understand why you got angry. Hell,_ I_ would have! I'm sorry about that, I really am. But I'm totally not expecting us to hang out with them, outside of strictly necessary times. Like, maybe Rachel's opening night we might _have_ to, but otherwise I would never make you spend time with her. I don't even want to spend time with her!"

"It's just like…seeing her, and realising who she was, and suddenly I was just so angry. So angry, for everything she did to you. And I was scared, because she's so pretty and was so important to you-"

"She was. She _was_ so important."

"I know. I don't know, it was just intimidating, and a little scary. Just weird." Quinn shrugged self-consciously and Santana leaned over to press a gentle kiss to the blonde's lips.

"Don't ever be intimidated, or scared. Because she has got nothing on you, and Puck is welcome to my sloppy seconds, because I have something better." She nudged Quinn's nose with her own and the blonde grinned, leaning up for a quick kiss before dropping her head back onto the bed.

"What's that then?" She asked cheekily, and Santana rolled her eyes.

"Don't get big-headed. I love you."

Quinn opened her mouth to reply, but before any sound came out Santana's lips were back on her own, wandering fingers sliding up her ribcage and pulling her tank top over her head once more.

-ooOoo-

Santana sighed as her foot landed in a deep puddle, immediately feeling the freezing cold water seeping through into her foot. Growling under her breath, she shook she drips off her foot and continued walking, shrugging her shoulders and burrowing down into the collar of her coat, trying to convince herself that the rain wouldn't cause her hair to frizz _too _much. And wasn't it supposed to be summer? Some kind of bullshit summer _this _was. Catching sight of herself in a shop window streaked with raindrops, she made an 'ugh' noise and continued onwards in the direction of home. Reaching the familiar corner, a nagging reminder of her day forced her to turn last-minute and head down towards her girlfriend's bakery.

"_Guess what, Mrs L? Totally my birthday tomorrow!"_

"_Awesome," she replied distractedly, frowning down at the papers in front of her._

"_Do I get a cupcake?" the boy demanded._

"_Of course you do, just like everyone else." she looked up and smiled politely, refraining from shuddering as her skin crawled at the site of the greasy boy._

"_No special treatments, just for me?" he licked his lips, leaning back on two legs of his chair as his friends sniggered around him._

"_Nope, same as everyone else, Paulie." Her patience was running low after an incredibly long, difficult day, and glancing up to see the boy send her a leering wink certainly didn't brighten her spirits._

"_Not even a little birthday treat?" He licked his lips suggestively and she grimaced with disgust._

Do not react. Do not react. You are not allowed to curse at students. You are not allowed to question whether he would still act so confident with his pants round his ankles. You are not allowed to point out that your girlfriend could probably satisfy a girl better than he ever could or will. Do not react.

"_No. You're just like everyone else." She attempted to stare him down, but the boy merely nodded knowingly, taping his nose with his finger as if they had a secret, "Get back to your work."_

She ducked under the awning of the closest shop, continuing down the street staying close to the windows to shelter from the torrential rain. _Little asshole doesn't even deserve a cupcake. Especially one of Quinn's, which she'll have worked really hard on. Wonder if she'd spit in it for me. Probably not. She's nice li__ke that._ _Gracious bitch._ She reached the bakery, lost in her own thoughts, and reached out to push the door open, expecting the comforting smell of fresh baking, and the welcoming sight of her favourite blonde. Instead she was met with hard resistance, and she frowned, finally looking up and taking sight of the bakery in front of her. The cheerful 'closed' sign hung on the other side of the door, and Santana cursed the smiling bumblebee on the sign. Hurrying back up the street, she pulled out her phone to get to the bottom of the matter.

**Cupcake girl, your cupcakes are unavailable and not fulfilling my current needs xxxxx**

By the time she reached her apartment building, there was still no reply, and she pulled her phone from her pocket to check once again. Seeing the screen blank, she quickly dialled the blonde's number as she began to ascend the stairs quickly. Reaching her floor, and with still no answer, she sighed heavily and dragged herself across the hall to her apartment door. Trying the handle first, and finding it locked in the blonde's absence, she growled in frustration and began rummaging carelessly in her bag. After four loads of note-paper had fallen and scattered to the floor, she heard a welcome jangling of metal and quickly sought out her keys, sliding it swiftly into the lock and only pausing to collect the paper littered across the carpet.

She blew out a long, relieved breath as she pushed the door open and stepped across the threshold into her apartment. Ready to throw her bag at the couch and head straight to the kitchen for a strong drink, Santana stopped abruptly as she immediately came face to face with a ceiling-high wall of cardboard boxes. Staring wide-eyed at the structure in front of her, she let her bag slide slowly to the floor with a bemused lip curl, allowing her sodden coat to follow it soon after.

"Um…Quinn?" She called into the inaccessible apartment, her voice heavy with bewilderment.

"Yes?" The familiar voice called sweetly.

"Uh…why is there a rainforest-worth of cardboard boxes on my welcome mat?" She couldn't resist a small chuckle, calmer in the knowledge that Quinn was behind this business, and stooped to pick up her coat and hanging it on her peg.

"You don't have a welcome mat!" Quinn pointed out from what sounded like the kitchen.

"That's because nobody's welcome!" She heard the blonde giggle, and smiled contentedly, "So…care to explain?"

As she stared at the wall of boxes, a small-ish box in the centre began to wiggle. Alarmed as the other boxes began to shudder, she stepped back cautiously as the centre box was pulled into the apartment, leaving a small hole through which the blonde's grinning face appeared a moment later. Laughing, Santana shook her head in disbelief and raised an eyebrow at Quinn, who grinned back cheekily.

"They're here because I don't know where the dumpster is." She shrugged simply and Santana narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"So you decided to use them to refurbish my apartment?"

"No. I decided to use them to refurbish _my _apartment." Quinn grinned smugly and Santana's mouth dropped open slightly, her eyes wide with cautious excitement.

"No…really? I mean, _really_?" The blonde nodded enthusiastically, and Santana swallowed hard, her heart-rate increasing, "You mean…you're…we're…we're gonna be…"

Taking pity on the brunette stumbling over her words, Quinn nodded again with a broad grin, "Yes. Yes really, and yes I'm, we're, we're gonna be…yes."

Santana stepped back from the wall of boxes, hopping from foot to foot as she pointed at the wall, stabbing excitedly, "How do I get through? _How do I get through_?"

"Just punch them, they're empty! Or push, or run at them or_ whatever_!" Quinn waved her hands excitedly and punched a box near the top. Crashing to the floor beside Santana, quickly followed by another couple from the top of the wall, Santana pushed another one through to Quinn's side as the blonde punched another, quickly spinning and kicking another box with a loud, carefree laugh.

They continued to push and punch at the boxes, finding more and more creative ways of breaking down the wall, until they stood side by side in a tall pile of boxes. Grabbing the blonde's hand, Santana pulled Quinn towards her and quickly snaked her arms around her waist, pulling the girl close to her and slowly leaning backwards, pulling them both down towards the floor.

"No, wait! It won't be a-"Quinn attempted to keep them standing before losing her footing and following Santana to the floor with a painful crunch.

"Ah!" Santana squealed in pain, "Oh man! That did not work." Shifting over as a pointed corner dug sharply into her back, Santana grimaced, "That was not one of my finest ideas. I thought they use this stuff for padding and stuff?"

Quinn giggled and shuffled over, adjusting her weight so as not to press Santana further into the cardboard, "Yeah for when people are falling from buildings and stuff! Not from five foot in the air in an enclosed space."

"Yeah well…I was trying to be romantic." She scowled at the blonde, who giggled and stretched her arms around Santana's neck, leaning down for a long kiss. Santana broke away breathlessly a few moments later, "So you're really moving in? Like, really?"

"I should hope so, otherwise all my stuff is in someone else's apartment and I'm homeless." She replied seriously, and Santana nodded interestedly,

"Okay so you've _already_ moved in then." She paused thoughtfully before grinning and nodding enthusiastically, "Awesome."

"Awesome." Quinn wriggled slightly, forming a delve in the pile of boxes, and snuggled down beside Santana, "These aren't really that uncomfortable once you get used to them, huh?"

"Not really. I mean, I wouldn't want a bed out of them or anything…"

"Aw damn. That was my next renovation plan!" Quinn teased and Santana giggled.

"Didn't you bring any foam peanuts? They're comfier; I could live with a bed made of _those_."

"Yeah, there's two a huge boxes of them from all my pictures and knick knacks and stuff. Which, by the way, I haven't put up yet; I thought I'd wait for you to help with those decisions." Santana nodded, staring at the ceiling distractedly, and Quinn prodded her in the ribs to attract her attention once more, an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, yeah no worries…but I have an idea."

-ooOoo-

"Are you kidding?" Quinn craned her neck to glance worriedly over her shoulder.

"Nope."

"We're really going to do this?"

"Totally." Santana grinned as Quinn eyed the living room floor suspiciously, "Also, kudos on all the packing foam. Industrial amounts."

"Yeah…I have a lot of knick knacks." Quinn replied, still staring warily at the space in front of the sofa. Santana had pushed all the furniture in the living room together to form a walled-off area, and dragged all the cushions off the couch, chair and bed and laid them out on the floor. Filling the space with two huge boxes worth of packing peanuts, Santana had created an effective ball-pool of foam peanuts, "This is going to take forever to clean up."

"Damage is done now anyway." She shrugged, "It'll be awesome. Let's do it."

She rubbed her hands together excitedly and grinned at Quinn. They were perched side by side on the cushion-less sofa, sat back on their haunches with their backs to the space, ready to lean backwards and topple to the floor.

"Won't it hurt?" Quinn whined, and Santana tutted loudly, rolling her eyes.

"Stop being such a baby! And of course not, it's like two feet and it's all cushioned! Let's go!" She grabbed the blonde's hand, and Quinn took a deep breath, steeling herself before nodding confidently. Rocking forwards slightly for momentum, they pushed back and kicked off from the sofa, springing airborne for a short moment. Quinn squealed delightedly as Santana let out a throaty chuckle, before they both crashed down into the soft landing with a muffled thump, both giggling manically.

"Best moving day ever!" Quinn wheezed through their laughter, and Santana nodded her firm agreement, the giggling taking over her body as she lay on her back, "Okay get up. We're going again."

Quinn skipped over to the stereo as Santana reformed the pile of foam, turning the volume up loud and dancing back to the sofa. Supporting herself with one arm, she jumped over the arm of the couch and took up her position beside Santana once again.

As they lay in the pile of scattered foam for the fifth time, still giggling, Quinn turned to Santana with a thoughtful frown, "This game needs a name."

"How about Charlotte?"

"No like a proper name. Coz I don't know about you, but we are doing this again!" Santana nodded knowingly with a self-satisfied smile, and Quinn propped herself up on one elbow to stare pointedly at Santana.

"Okay, how about Ted?"

"No."

"Maud."

"No!"

"Jerry."

"No…"

"Suzy."

"No."

"But then we can say we're playing with Suzy!" Santana snickered and Quinn's shoulders slumped hopelessly.

"_Santana_"

"If you insist we can call it Santana. Or Benji."

"No."

"Bruno!"

"Oh my God! Fine!" Quinn shouted over Santana's endless suggestions, grasping despairingly at the air, "Fine, we'll call it Bruno!"

"Awesome." Santana grinned, "Now all we need is shots and stripping and we've invented the best game ever." She shrugged cheekily and Quinn eyed her suspiciously, quiet in thought.

"But there's no way of making this a competition?" She pointed out, clambering awkwardly to sit cross-legged as Santana knelt up beside her.

"Oh well!" the brunette grinned, pinching the toe of Quinn's sock and pulling it off swiftly, "I'm winning!"

"Oh no." Quinn deadpanned, "I'll have to go get the vodka."

"Good plan." She held up her hand and Quinn high-fived her quickly before running off to the kitchen, grabbing two shot glasses and a large bottle from the top of the fridge, returning to find Santana turning the music up even louder.

"Okay let's do this."

-o-

"Oh my God. I think if we keep doing this for much longer I'm gonna hurl." With over half a bottle of vodka gone, and random items of clothing spread around the room where they had been hastily thrown, Quinn laughed as they lay in the packing peanuts, both in various states of undress.

"Puke and rally, Fabray!" Santana announced with a grin.

Just as Quinn pulled herself into a sitting position, there was a loud pounding on the door. Gazing drunkenly around at the mess they were laid in, she giggled to herself before reaching out to grab her pants, pulling them on quickly.

"Just a minute!" She called, jabbing Santana in the side with her toes as she pulled on a t-shirt, "Go turn the music down!"

She scrambled to her feet and padded bare-foot across to the door, shushing Santana's giggling and attempting to keep a straight face as she pulled it open. "Good evening. Lopez-Fabray residence." She smiled sweetly and the angry man stood on the doorstep, who glanced down at her dishevelled appearance before scowling at her.

"I'm the super. There's been a number of complaints about the noise." He glared at Quinn before glancing behind her suspiciously. Quinn pulled the door closed slightly so she was peeking through the gap as Santana wandered around in her underwear behind her.

"What noise?" Quinn frowned slightly with a small shrug, but Santana chose that moment to begin singing loudly and jumping up and down in the pile of cushions, "…oh. That noise."

"Yeah. The music. The banging. The screaming." He counted the points off on his fingers and Quinn nodded sheepishly, her mouth twisting as she attempted not to giggle, "Just keep it down ladies." He warned before turning his back, wandering back down the hall shaking his head. Quinn wiggled her fingers goodbye before sliding back into the apartment and closing the door behind her.

"What did he want?" Santana grinned from the floor and the blonde smirked.

"Complaints." She pulled a guilty face before they both burst out giggling, "Bruno is a bad game."

"Bruno is an awesome game. Neighbours are the problem." Quinn stripped her tshirt and jeans off once again and joined Santana on the floor so they were laying side by side, "Yeah, I could totally sleep on a bed of foam peanuts."

Quinn nodded her agreement, reaching out to give Santana's hand a squeeze and getting to her feet once again, skipping through to the bedroom and returning a few minutes later with the bedcover. Pausing to flick a lamp on as she passed, she threw the cover towards Santana and went to lock the door and turn off the overhead light. Sliding down onto the floor once again, she crawled under the cover beside her girlfriend and wrapped herself round Santana, snuggling down to rest her head on the girl's chest.

"Tonight was so awesome. I love you." She whispered, turning to place a gentle kiss on Santana's collarbone.

"I love you, too. I'm so glad you live here now. And your sheets look nice on my bedcover." she giggled.

"Yours needed changing anyway." Quinn mumbled, her eyes drooping shut.

"Ooh, so domestic." Santana chuckled, stooping to press a kiss to Quinn's forehead and reaching out to flick the lamp off at the switch, "You know, I had an awful day today."

"Really? Didn't seem like it tonight. How come?"

"Just sucked. You made it better." She placed a finger under the blonde's chi, tilting her head up to pull her into along kiss, and Quinn shifted to take her weight, laying flush against Santana's body.

"Good." She replied; their words punctuated by kisses, "I'm glad."

"Yup. Well done."

"I think I deserve a reward." The blonde replied cheekily, her kisses drifting to Santana's chest and shoulders.

"I have an idea."

"Well aren't you full of them these days?"


	48. The Boom Boom Rooms

**Hey guys, sorry it took a while! Messed up laptops ruin my life. Hopefully will be more regular again now, although I know I've been saying that for the last three chapters. Sorry!**

* * *

><p>"Last day! Last day! Last day!" Santana bounced up and down on her toes as she flung the curtains wide open, spinning to grin at the bed. Quinn made an unintelligible noise and poked her head out of the flowered covers. The sunlight beamed down onto her face and she rolled over to the middle to burrow face-down into the gap between pillows, her blonde hair sticking up at odd angles. Santana chuckled and pulled a shirt from the drawer, slipping it on as she perched on the bed beside Quinn, tugging the covers down to run her fingers up the blonde's bare back. "Come on, sweetie."<p>

Quinn shook her head furiously until Santana prodded her bum cheek, and she turned her head to look up at her girlfriend, sighing heavily, "What time is it?"

"Time for me to go to work for the last time this year!" She grinned and did a little celebration dance, before she added, deadpan, "Therefore; time for you to get up." She leaned down to drop a gentle kiss on Quinn's forehead, and the blonde immediately snaked her arms around Santana's exposed waist, pulling her down into long kiss.

"Don't go to work. Stay here." She mumbled and Santana let out a small chuckle, which quickly turned into a gasp as Quinn's kisses travelled down her neck and behind her ear.

"No. I can't call in sick on the last day, enough of the kids will be doing that anyway. And I still have so much to do before the…uh…end of…um...term…" She trailed off as Quinn began to push her shirt back off her shoulder, before pulling away suddenly and grabbing the girl's wrists, "No. No, we don't have time and I can't be late for work. Neither can you, Cupcake Girl." She shook her head determinedly and Quinn pouted playfully.

"Fine. You owe me." Quinn narrowed her eyes in a glare as Santana released her with a sweet smile, and rolled out of the bed to get ready. "Ugh, I'm so jealous of you getting all summer with no work."

"Well to be fair, I will have to create my whole plan for next year, once I find out which classes I have. And you know, I'll help you out and stuff." Santana shrugged as she pulled her skirt up, turning round for Quinn to zip it swiftly.

"Really? You don't have to, you can just enjoy your time off you know."

"Yeah I know, but you don't get any time off, and you always say summer is really busy. Plus you're the only person I'd want to spend my time off with, so it would suck anyway." She grinned and gave Quinn a quick kiss before pulling her shoes on and hurrying out of the bedroom to collect her bags and folders. Quinn appeared, fully dressed, a few moments later.

"So out of interest, all of your folders, and bags, and files that you bring home…" she began, pouring a cup of tea in the kitchen as Santana sifted through the folders on the kitchen worktop.

"Yeah?"

"What happens to_ them_ over summer? I mean, I've seen you bring at least ten different boxes of schoolwork, and like thirty files and folders. Where will they live?" she raised an eyebrow expectantly and Santana nodded reluctantly.

"Why do you think I cleared that corner finally?" she rolled her eyes and began packing her large bag full of work, "I have to assess half of the students for next year's teachers and for myself, see what levels they're all so I can submit their grades for their exams and target grades. So they'll have to stay here." Quinn sighed, resigned, and Santana shrugged apologetically, "I'm sorry. I know it sucks, but I'm not bringing them all home, don't worry."

"I moved in at the best time." Quinn replied shrewdly, before shrugging with a content smile, "Oh well. Don't you need to head off?"

"Yup." Santana picked up her bag with a wince and stepped forward to give the blonde a chaste kiss before turning to leave.

"Oh and remember we're going to meet Jess and Brittany this afternoon when you've finished!"

"Yup!" Santana grabbed her jacket from the back of the couch and shrugged it on quickly.

"You have a half-day today, yeah?"

"Yes!" Santana replied exasperatedly as she reached the front door.

"So I'll see you at two?"

"Sweetie!" She threw her hands up in despair and shook her head with a small chuckle.

"Okay! Sorry, I love you." Quinn grinned guiltily,

"I love you!" Santana called over her shoulder as she hurried out of the apartment and straight down the stairs.

Quinn took a deep breath, cupping her travel-cup of tea in both hands as she gazed around the apartment, now comfortably filled with a mix of her knick-knacks and belongings, mingled in with Santana's. Smiling to herself as she let out a long, contended sigh before checking the time and skipping through to finish getting ready, following Santana's footsteps a few minutes later.

-ooOoo-

"Hey, Quinn, guess what? My girlfriend's a _whore_!"

Quinn looked up from the cooking magazine on the counter, eyes widening dramatically as Brittany and Jess entered the bakery hurriedly, Brittany sarcastic and indignant while Jess followed behind, sighing and rolling her eyes as Brittany made the announcement.

"What?" Quinn stared between the two girls as Brittany fake-grinned manically and Jess' shoulders slumped.

"I've told you, I wasn't a whore!" she snapped and Brittany raised an eyebrow, turning back to Jess.

"Well you might as well have been!" she shot back, folding her arms angrily.

"What are you guys talking about?" Quinn cut in, seeing how aggravated Jess was becoming and trying to relieve some of the tension. Behind the two girls, the door pushed open slowly.

"Jess was a stripper!" Brittany announced. The old man in the doorway looked between the three girls, wide-eyed, and Quinn plasters a fake polite smile on her face, but the man immediately backed out of the shop.

"Thanks, guys." She said dryly, rolling her eyes, "Anyway…"

"I wasn't a stripper." Jess shook her head.

"Jess was a stripper." Brittany repeated calmly, "Or did you know that already? _I _certainly didn't!" She glared at Jess once again, who flushed bright red and stared self-consciously at the floor.

"I wasn't a stripper." She mumbled, and Quinn raised an eyebrow.

"Um…no. I didn't." Quinn frowned awkwardly at Jess, and the brunette cleared her throat quietly.

"No. Neither did I, she didn't tell me." Brittany stated matter-of-factly, failing to disguise the hurt in her voice, "You'd think it would be something you'd tell your girlfriend. I mean, maybe not first-date material, but I don't know, maybe somewhere between fifth date and _moving in with me_, you'd think she'd have told me about taking her clothes off for money!"

"I wasn't a stripper!" Jess suddenly shouted, folding her hands up in despair, "How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Jess was a stripper?" Santana had entered the shop behind them, and now stared at the girl, her face a mixture of confusion and wonder.

"I wasn't a stripper!"

"You worked at The Boom-Boom Rooms!" Brittany shrieked and Quinn tried to hold back a small chuckle, failing miserably as Santana openly chortled. She blushed when Jess glared at her, stepping behind the counter and cowering playfully behind Quinn, who rolled her eyes and took a deep breath,

"Okay, Brittany calm down. How do you even know this?" she frowned and Brittany glared at Jess again before turning to Quinn and taking a deep breath.

"Okay so we were walking over here and we headed into a few stores on the way, we just needed a couple of things for tonight, because we _were_ going to have a DVD night." Jess rolled her eyes, arms folded defiantly, "So we bought candy and then went next door to that film rental place. You know the one. With the guy with the hook hand?" Quinn nodded, and all four girls grimaced thoughtfully, "Anyway, then this guy came out of the adult section at the back-"

"Came out, yeah I'm sure." Santana interjected with an exaggerated wink, leaning forward to rest her arms on the counter.

"Okay why are you so chirpy?" Brittany demanded, and Santana had the grace to look guilty.

"Sorry. Continue."

"So this guy goes 'Oh my God, it's you!' and Jess was all 'I'm sorry I don't know you.' And he was like 'You're Candy Catastrophic-"

"Catastrophe." Jess corrected, blushing and averting her eyes once more as Brittany and Quinn stared at her, while Santana held up her hand for a high-five. "Candy Catastrophe." She muttered, ignoring Santana's outstretched arm.

"Whatever." Brittany continued, "So I was like 'What is he talking about?' and Jess said she didn't know and he looked really confused and was all 'You're Candy Castrophe. From The Boom Boom Rooms!' and he looked like Christmas had come early." She spat bitterly, her expression one of disgust, "So yeah, turns out my girlfriend used to be a stripper!"

"Oh my God, Jess, is that true?" Santana asked with an incredulous smirk. Quinn's jaw dropped open as she watched the brunette, who sighed heavily and slumped against the glass case.

"Yes. But _I was not a stripper_!" She glared between the three girls, daring them to argue, and continued when noone did, "I worked there. And I had a stupid name that they gave me. Because I was totally poor and I wasn't getting any dance gigs, and I needed the money. But have either of you ever _been _to The Boom-Boom Rooms?"

Brittany and Quinn both shook their heads as Santana opened her mouth to speak,

"I ha-" she glanced at Quinn and swallowed, looking back to Jess with an innocent shrug, "Nope. No I haven't."

Jess snorted derivatively, shaking her head, "Well if any of you ever had," she looked pointedly at Santana, who shrugged with a small smile, "You would know that yes, there are strippers. But there are also _podium dancers_. Who don't take _any_ of their clothes off, _ever_."

"Oh, I see." Quinn nodded thoughtfully and Jess raised her eyebrows, having proved her point. Santana gazed sweetly at Quinn, who rolled her eyes with a knowing smile and leaned in for a quick kiss as Jess continued.

"I didn't get paid as much as those girls, but I hated working there enough without taking my clothes off for a bunch of pervy guys as well."

"Fair enough. Good on you, Welford!" Santana grinned, impressed, as Brittany watched her girlfriend silently and thoughtfully.

"How long did you work there?" she asked.

"Four months. Then I got a job as one of the female dancers in a drag show. Which was slightly more glamorous, and then I got better shows and saved and earned enough to join an agency and started getting videos and real shows instead." She shrugged, her explanation complete, and Brittany nodded thoughtfully.

"So you didn't take off _any _of your clothes? Like, it's not like half of New York has seen you naked or anything?" the blonde asked warily, and Jess shook her head with an amused smile.

"No, I promise. No way. I just, I had to make money somehow." She shrugged, "I moved from England to be a dancer with very little money to live. I was desperate."

"Okay." Brittany was silent for a moment, staring pensively at the case of cupcakes. The girls stood awkwardly, waiting for the blonde's final judgement, and Santana frowned bemusedly. She reached slowly into the glass case where Brittany was staring, pulling out a coconut cupcake and holding it out to the blonde, who's gaze didn't move as she took it absentmindedly.

"Okay?" Jess asked, chewing her lip, and Brittany took a deep breath, nodding confidently.

"Okay." She stepped toward Jess and lowered her voice, and Quinn took this to be their cue to leave the conversation, hurrying toward the kitchen as Santana settled her forearms on the counter, listening intently. Quinn rolled her eyes and grabbed the brunette's arm, dragging her away from the pair to violent protestations.

"One last thing." Brittany continued once Santana had been removed, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know," Jess shrugged shyly, "Pride, I guess."

Brittany frowned, hurt, "But it's me. You know you can trust me with anything, it's not like I'd judge."

"I know that." Jess stared down at the floor, pulling at the sleeve of her cardigan nervously, "I know it's just. It's embarrassing and it's _so _not something I'm proud of. Noone's perfect."

"You're pretty close." Brittany grinned, nudging her nose against Jess' and dropping her forehead to rest on her girlfriend's.

"See? I like that you think that. And I-I just didn't want you to think less of me that's all. It's silly, I'm sorry."

"I think the world of you." Brittany pulled Jess' hand away from her sleeve to hold it tightly in her own "No matter what. But just, just don't keep things from me again okay?"

"I promise. I'm sorry. Are we good?" she raised her eyebrows hopefully and Brittany pretended to contemplate the question.

"Yes, always." Brittany smiled with a small shrug.

"Okay good." Jess smiled with relief, and Brittany leaned forward to place a sweet kiss on the girl's cheek. The brunette grinned bashfully, touching the spot where Brittany's lips had met her skin, and craned up to return the gesture.

"Hey, are you done yet?" Santana called, her head poking around the kitchen doorframe, "I mean, I've been listening anyway so I know you're done but...just checking."

"Yeah, we're good." Brittany smiled, pulling back from Jess to lean her forearms on the counter, and Jess quickly wound her arms around the blonde's waist.

"So, Jess was a stripper?" Santana grinned and Brittany scowled, while Quinn appeared with a tray of fresh cupcakes and dug her elbow hard into Santana's ribs. The brunette swore loudly and glared at Quinn, who sent her a cheeky wink as she slid the cakes into the case.

"Okay are we ready to go?" She smiled pleasantly, "I only have like a half an hour though, some girl is picking up an order this afternoon."

"Cool, let's go." Jess grinned and they filed out of the bakery slowly, Santana sticking a note on the door as Quinn searched for the keys.

-ooOoo-

"Oh Quinn, we meant to ask you, is your apartment being rented to anyone else yet?" Jess asked as she poured extra milk into her coffee, and Quinn smirked beside her.

"Um, no. I only moved out last week, it's still technically mine until the end of the month." Quinn shrugged, frowning slightly, "Why?"

"You mean you still technically live there?" Brittany asked, glancing slyly at Santana, who rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I told her to keep it in case I got sick of her real quick." She replied, smiling sarcastically.

Quinn narrowed her eyes at Santana as they wormed their way through the tables to an empty one at the back, "No, Jess," she answered pointedly, "There's no one else living there. I imagine he'll let it out again at the end of the month though, there's no maintenance or anything that needs doing and I bought it furnished. Why?"

Jess pulled out a chair for Brittany before sliding into the one beside her, shrugging as the other girls sat down opposite them round the table, "Oh, um...no reason."

"What?" Santana frowned, "What's going on?"

Brittany stared at the table-top shiftily, "Nothing."

"Nothing." Jess repeated, and Quinn raised an eyebrow at Santana.

"Oh okay then, all is well." She replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm, and Santana snorted.

"Yeah, you two can never go into subterfuge, just by the way. You're terrible liars."

Jess snorted, rolling her eyes at the irony, before sighing heavily, "Fine. But you have to promise not to say anything to anyone."

"We mean it, you can't say anything." Brittany added, chewing her lip nervously, and Quinn frowned.

"Of course not, what's wrong?"

"Santana." Brittany glared, and Santana's eyes widened defensively.

"What?" she demanded, her mouth twisted in a grimace.

"You can't keep a secret." Jess stated bluntly, and Santana's shoulders slumped, affronted.

"Fine. My lips are sealed." She smiled sweetly and Brittany nodded her acceptance.

"Good. Okay, we've decided our apartment isn't big enough for three." She shook her head matter-of-factly, and Quinn raised her eyebrows, shocked by the girl's up front statement.

"Especially with Sam staying over _all the time." _Jess added, rolling her eyes, "No offence."

Quinn shook her head with a wry smile, "No, guys take up lots of space. So you guys are moving out? Have you talked to Rachel yet?"

"Well we're thinking about it, that's all." Jess shrugged,

"And we'd have to move out, it's Rachel's apartment." Brittany pointed out.

"Yeah, she's lived there since the dawn of time." Santana added, nodding knowingly, "So when are you going to tell Jew-Hobbit? She's gonna be pissed."

"What? Why would she be pissed?" Quinn frowned, "If they want to move out they can move out."

Jess and Brittany frowned, staring at Santana nervously as the brunette snorted, "Well sure, they can move out, but that means Rachel will have to, too." She replied, as if pointing out the obvious.

"What?" Jess narrowed her eyes, confused, "No it doesn't, why would it mean that?"

Brittany's mouth suddenly dropped open in realisation and her shoulders slumped as she let out a long sigh, "Because Rachel can't afford a two-bedroom apartment in New York by herself." She said glumly, her excited demeanour replaced by guilty disappointment.

"Especially not with her job. I mean, yeah hopefully this will be her big break, but it's not like her job is particularly reliable or permanent." Santana reasoned with a sympathetic shrug, "Sorry to kill your buzz."

Quinn bit her lip thoughtfully as silence fell within the group. Santana stared at the art on the walls, feeling self-conscious and guilty for ruining the girls' excitement, while Jess sighed heavily, staring dejectedly into her coffee as Brittany pouted at the table.

"Unless," Quinn began cautiously. All three girls' gazes snapped to the blonde, who glanced between them all, taking a deep breath. "Okay, so it's not the most considerate plan. And it also has potential to go wrong..."

"But..." Brittany prompted.

"Well, you two have two incomes, and you both have fairly regular work. I mean, Brittany you're practically a permanent teacher, yes?" She raised her eyebrows and Brittany nodded enthusiastically, "So maybe Rachel can't afford a two-bedroom by herself. But you guys could?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Jess agreed, frowning, uncomprehending.

"Well then," Quinn took a deep breath, but Santana gasped in delight,

"Oh, what if you got Rachel to move out?" she grinned proudly, and Quinn dropped her hands onto the table in defeat.

"Santana, that's a great idea!" Brittany's face lit up as Quinn's jaw dropped.

"Hey!" She announced, affronted, and Santana raised her eyebrows, "That was going to be my idea! Way to steal my big moment, San." She scowled and Jess snorted.

"Well, no matter whose idea it was," She replied, placating the two girls, "It's a good point. But we can't exactly go home and say 'Hey, Rachel. We want to live alone because there's not enough space but we want you to move out even though you've lived here for years' Can we?"

"Sure you can!" Santana replied flippantly, waving her hand.

"No. You're right you can't." Quinn shook her head, "But you know, Rachel's a pretty reasonable person."

Santana snorted, "Have you _met _Berry? She's the most unreasonable, illogical, irrational person alive."

"You're so much help today." Brittany dead-panned, glaring at Santana.

"Sorry."

Quinn rolled her eyes, taking Santana's hand under the table and rubbing circles with her thumb, attempting to settle her down, "Maybe just talk to Rachel. I mean, if the apartment's too small for you guys, maybe she's feeling the same?"

"She calls us all 'roomies'!" Jess reasoned exasperatedly, "It's going to break her little Jewish heart."

"The holiday armadillo will cry." Brittany pouted.

"Well, I vote talk to her." Quinn shrugged, "I mean, maybe you'll be able to work it out between the three of you."

Santana nodded eagerly, "And you know, Quinn's apartment won't be rentable to anyone else until the end of the month, so you could always offer her there?"

"Yeah, at least then she'd have somewhere to go straight away, so she wouldn't have the pressure of apartment-hunting. It's sweet that you've prepared in advance." Quinn reasoned.

"It _is_ efficient, Rachel loves efficiency." Brittany nodded thoughtfully.

"Yeah, I suppose." Jess frowned.

"Talk to her. She might surprise you." Quinn smiled and the girls nodded.

"Hey, it's the lesbians!" a voice shouted from across the room.

Santana's eyes widened and Brittany's eyebrows shout up towards her hairline while Quinn rolled her eyes at the familiar voice. Jess craned her neck and grimaced, suddenly dropping her shoulders and leaning in to the girls, "Okay it's Puck, and Lily is with him. What do we do?"

Quinn stared at Santana in alarm, who opened her mouth to reply before shutting it again as her mind drew blank.

"Should we be nice to her? Want me to shank her with a coffee stirrer?" Brittany suggested. Quinn turned and smiled politely as Puck and Lily made their way across the room.

"Okay they're getting closer. Screw it, everyone just...be...polite." She ordered in hushed tones, speaking rapidly as the couple approached, "This had to happen sometime so just be nice and polite and we'll try to get through this as easily and painlessly as possi- Hey guys! Good to see you!" she smiled jovially as the pair reached table, and the girls chorused a cheery hello.

"Hey, it's nice to see you all again." Lily smiled, glancing around the table, "Santana" she nodded and Santana returned the nod with a tight-lipped smile.

"So...what are you guys doing...here?" Jess asked stiltedly.

"We're uh...looking at paintings and stuff." Puck replied cluelessly, gesturing a thumb over his shoulder.

"Like art galleries?" Quinn asked Puck, but Lily cut in.

"More like homeware." She grinned, and the girls nodded disinterestedly, "We're looking for some paintings to go above Puck's fireplace."

"Why do you want paintings above your fireplace?" Santana asked Puck with a disgusted frown.

"I...um...you know...I like art." He shrugged, and Brittany raised an eyebrow.

"Bull crap. You thought Tracey Emin was a pornstar!"

"Yeah, the only art you're interested in is nude models." Jess snorted, but Lily frowned, turning to Puck.

"Haven't you told them? What, are you ashamed of me? You don't want your friends to know about me? Is that how it is?" Lily rattled off a barrage of questions and the girls stared, horrified, as Puck shrugged cluelessly.

"Told them what?" He asked innocently, and the girl's petite mouth dropped open slightly in irritation, before she turned on her heel to face the girls at the table once more.

"I'm moving in with Puck." She stated matter-of-factly.

Brittany grimaced, muttering "Ew, ew, ew" under her breath as Quinn's eyes widened dramatically and Jess gasped.

Santana stared at Puck open-mouthed, her eyes clouded with suspicion, "That's...that's awesome you guys." She replied robotically, "I'm really happy for you."

Quinn frowned, glancing at Santana's stony expression as Jess restrained her smirk, shaking her head, "Yeah, I don't think that's too soon at all."

"It just feels so right." Brittany deadpanned, and Lily glared at her, reaching behind to take Puck's hand tightly in her own.

"Thank you. We just can't wait to start our life together." She gave the girls a smarmy smile before wiggling her fingers in a wave and pulling Puck away behind her. The boy raised his arm in an awkward goodbye, smiling self-consciously as his girlfriend pulled him away.

The girls sat in silence for a few seconds, Jess bit her lip as Brittany shook her head, wide-eyed. Santana sat staring at the table with a confused grimace as Quinn took a deep breath, blowing it out in a long breath. "So...she's crazy."

"Bat shit." Santana nodded.

"As always." Brittany griped.

"Apparently." Jess snorted.

"What are we going to do?" Quinn frowned, and Santana raised an eyebrow, turning to the blonde in shock.

"What do you mean 'what are we going to do?'" she mimicked, "We're going to do nothing. Puck made his_ crazy_ bed, and now he can _crazily_ lie in it, and deal with the _crazy_ hand life has _crazily _dealt him."

"But...it's Puck." Jess reasoned, "He's our friend, and is it just me, or did he look less than pleased with 'paintings and stuff'?" she held up air quotes and lowered her voice to mimick Puck's.

"Yeah, I totally agree. He looked like a boy scout taking a dump on an anthill." Brittany agreed, and Quinn grimaced before continuing,

"We have to do something. At the end of the day, he's Sam's best friend, and Rachel's ex...something, and our friend and Santana, he's your bro, and I've known him since I was..._ye high_. We can't just let him be swallowed into the fiery depths of Lily."

"Ugh." Santana sighed, rolling her eyes exaggeratedly. "Fine! Fine. What's your big idea?"

"I don't know." Quinn shrugged helplessly, while Jess raised an eyebrow and Brittany grinned wickedly.

"_I_ have an idea?"


	49. Get Pucked

**Well, hello! I'm so sorry for how long this chapter has taken, I've been getting lots of questions about how long it will take so I can only apologize. Life has been very hectic and it's nice that so many people are still reading along. I'll try to be more continuous from now on :) So I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"This is stupid." Santana deadpanned in a low voice, as the group crowded round Puck's front door, "Just saying."<p>

"Then why are you here?" Brittany challenged with a raised eyebrow, and Santana rolled her eyes.

"I dunno, someone might get seriously injured and I wouldn't want to miss the drama." The brunette shrugged.

"Can I ask why _I'm _here? At 2am? On a Friday?" Sam grumbled, attempting to flatten his tousled hair with the palm of his hand.

"Because you have nowhere better to be, apparently." Quinn interjected flippantly.

"_Because,_ you're the one with the spare key." Jess hissed, "And keep your voices down, we don't want to wake them up!"

"I still don't see why we _all _needed to come along." Rachel whined, glancing over her shoulder, "Couldn't you have just got the key off Sam and done this alone, Brittany?"

"_I _don't see why you're dressed like the Wizard of Oz's munchkin bodyguard." Santana added, and Rachel, clad all in black with a large balaclava covering her head, rolled her eyes.

The blonde pouted at the shorter girl, before glancing around at the others, "Well, yeah, but...I thought it'd be like a fun thing for us to all do together. We never all hang out anymore." She shrugged sadly and Rachel visibly softened, while Santana's lip curled in confusion.

"What are you talking about? That's all we do."

"Plus, I'd hardly call this 'hanging out'" Sam scowled.

"Okay, so it's breaking and entering!" Quinn interrupted, exasperated with everyone's complaints, "Are we going to stand awkwardly on Puck's doorstep all night or can we get this done and go home?"

"I agree, we look like the Gestapo." Jess nodded. "So we all know the plan?"

The girls all nodded, while Sam stared between them with a blank expression, "Um? I don't?"

"Don't worry, you just unlock the door." Brittany waved a hand dismissively and Sam rolled his eyes.

"Really? That's the _whole reason_ you've _dragged_ me over here?" The boy glared at Brittany, who smiled and nodded happily.

"Yeah, we figured we'd just let you have the easy job."

"Seeing as you've never indicated that you ever wanted any part of this." Santana added shrewdly, and Sam tutted before pulling the key out of his jacket pocket and thrusting it towards Jess. The brunette held out her hand and Sam dropped the key into her palm before glaring at the group and turning to stomp down the hall.

"_Samuel Fabray!" _Rachel hissed after him, and Sam held his hands up to his face before turning on his heel to face her, "You are _not _leaving me here at two in the morning to walk home through _New York _by myself!"

"Rach, I'm not taking part in this! It's madness!" he gestured towards the door, and Brittany rolled her eyes, while Santana folded her arms impatiently, tapping her foot.

"You don't have to, but the least you can do is wait for us." She reasoned, and Sam eventually relented, though unable to resist rolling his eyes once more.

"Okay!" Brittany grinned, "So let's do this! Jess, do the honours. Everybody stay quiet. We go through to the bedroom, and then Rachel?"

"Yup." She held up her hand, a delicate earring dangling from her thumb and forefinger, "All over it."

"Jess, you're in charge of the torch." Brittany continued, as Jess held the torch up proudly, flashing the light on and off with a grin, "Don't be wiggling it too much. Don't give away our position."

"Got it." The brunette answered with a wink.

"So what do we do?" Quinn frowned, "Jess is the light-"

"Of your lives. A-thank you." Jess finished cheekily.

"Rachel has the incriminating evidence, Brittany you're the brains of the operation-"

"Wow." Santana deadpanned.

"So what about me and Santana? Why are we here?" Quinn shrugged.

"Um...for funsies?" Brittany raised her eyebrows innocently and Santana rolled her eyes.

"Look, it's like almost half past. Either way, we're here now, let's just get on with it." She took the torch from Jess and shone it at the keyhole pointedly, and Jess stepped forward.

Sliding the key into the hole, she turned it slowly and quietly until the lock gave a loud click, and the group all winced at the obvious noise.

"Okay. Let's go." Brittany whispered, pushing the door slowly and creeping forward a few steps. Jess and Rachel followed suit, and Quinn and Santana exchanged an apprehensive glance before Quinn sighed and Santana rolled her eyes, and they stepped over the threshold tentatively. Sam leaned against the wall outside as the girls edged their way into the apartment, and Quinn gave him a cheeky wave before ducking out of sight down the hall.

Brittany took a few steps through the short hallway, before craning her head round the doorway to the living room and squinting in the darkness. She frowned before turning to whisper, "Santana! I can't see anything."

"That's because it's night-time." She replied sincerely, and Brittany sighed impatiently before grabbing the brunette's wrist and pulling Santana forwards to stand behind her. She flicked the torch on, aiming it at the floor, before sweeping the beam around the room slowly.

"I like the 'paintings and stuff.'" Santana remarked insincerely.

"Rachel?" Brittany whispered, "Where do we go now?"

The little brunette craned round the other girls to point the torch in Santana's hand at the other side of the room, "Through that door is the bathroom. Then past that there's the bedroom." She replied in a low voice, and Santana frowned, staring around the apartment in confusion.

Brittany nodded and edged forward, and the girls followed quickly, before a loud grunt from within the apartment startled them, and Brittany immediately dropped to the floor, dragging Santana down with her. Rachel fell to the floor with a small squeak, and Jess clapped her hand over the girl's mouth with a glare as she and Quinn crouched down onto all fours. Brittany and Santana paused, staring at the small brunette, and Rachel grimaced apologetically. As silence fell once more, Brittany led the way across the floor, past the couch, towards the bathroom door.

"This is a very badly designed layout." Jess remarked as Santana followed after Brittany. The tall blonde crouched beside the open door, her back pressed flat against the wall, and Santana shimmied across the floor to match her position on the other side.

"I know right?" Quinn agreed in a whisper, "Like, just put a door in the corner with access directly to the bedroom, it'd make so much more sense."

"Hey!" Santana hissed, and Quinn shrugged apologetically before the Jess, Rachel and Quinn joined the two girls to peek into the bathroom.

"Okay, bare in mind the bathroom will have better acoustics." Quinn pointed out, "So be extra quiet; it'll echo."

Brittany nodded wisely, taking a deep breath before turned around the doorway and edging into the bathroom. Another quieter grunt echoed through the room as they all followed, and the girls paused, crouching perfectly still until the silence resumed and they crowded round on the tiles.

"It's disgusting in here." Jess recoiled away from the base of the sink with a grimace as Santana folded her arms around her body with a shudder.

"I know." Rachel nodded, "There's a reason I always made him come to me."

"Wanky." Santana chortled under her breath, but another grunt rang out through the room, stopping the conversation abruptly.

Brittany waited a moment, before nodding at Rachel, gesturing to the door, but as Rachel took a small step forwards another louder grunt came from within the room. Santana raised an eyebrow at Quinn, who shrugged, and Jess narrowed her eyes suspiciously. This time, the grunt was followed quickly by another, and Brittany frowned at the door until another followed, and her head snapped round to the group. Rachel's jaw dropped and Jess' eyes widened as she suppressed a giggle.

"Is he?" Brittany started, but another grunt cut her off as Jess bit her lip to cover a smile, before nodding slowly. She opened her mouth to comment, but a higher-pitched moan rang out and Jess' mouth hung open limply.

"Eeeeww." Rachel hissed, plugging her fingers into her ears, but Brittany grabbed her hand and pulled it away from the girl's head angrily.

"I thought Sam said Lily didn't stay over on Fridays?" She demanded and Rachel shook her head quickly.

"He did! I don't know why she's here."

"Oh, God!" The girls voice drifted from the bedroom, and Santana rolled her eyes.

"So what do we do?" Jess whispered as the grunting grew louder, "Just wait for them to...you know?"

"Oh, Puck!"

"Yeah!"

"Ew, no!" Quinn recoiled in horror, jabbing her finger towards the door "I'm not sticking around to listen to Puck..."

"Oh, Jesus!"

"Get pucked?" Jess suggested with a roguish grin, and Santana grimaced as the noises mounted.

"Oh, yes!"

"Well this escalated quickly, huh?" She smirked sarcastically.

"Ugh, okay this is all kinds of wrong." Quinn rolled her eyes, standing up quickly and gesturing to the living room, "Can we _please _just get out of he-"

"Oh, Santana!"

"What?" Quinn's eyebrows shot up and her face fell into a hostile glower as the other girl's eyes widened and mouths dropped. Santana's face contorted into a disgusted grimace and on the other side of the apartment, Sam stuck his head round the door with a look of bug-eyed panic.

"What did you just say?" Puck's voice sounded cold and impassive through the door, and the girls winced uneasily, their eyes darting to one another as Brittany edged closer to the door out of curiosity.

"Um, nothing. I said nothing." Lily shrugged off the question casually, while Jess looked panicked.

"Guys. Psst! Guys!" She hissed, and the girls all turned to look at her, "What if they have a fight?"

"So what if they have a fight?" Rachel shrugged "Then job done and we go home."

"No I mean let's get out of here. What if they have a fight and he storms out or something?" Jess gesticulated violently and Santana nodded solemnly.

"Yeah I think the guy's had a hard enough knock for tonight without leaving his bedroom to be ambushed by half of the lollipop guild. Let's go."

The girls nodded and slowly rose to their feet, before sneaking quietly back towards the living the room, eventually re-emerging by Sam, who breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh my God, what happened?" He demanded, grabbing the arm of Quinn's jacket and tugging Rachel to his side as Jess pulled the door shut and locked it carefully. "I heard someone say your name!" He added, nodding to Santana.

"Yeah. We all did." Santana replied, staring at the floor looking like she was trying not to be sick.

Sam frowned and Quinn shook her head, taking Santana's hand gently, "Yeah, we kind of...interrupted them."

"What?" Sam's eyes widened in horror while Rachel and Quinn giggled, but Brittany waved her hand to calm him.

"We didn't _actually_ interrupt them-"

"Although Santana _did _ruin their night." Jess snorted, and Santana glared at her while Sam sighed with a quizzical frown.

"What? What are you guys even talking about?" He whined, and Rachel patted his arm soothingly.

"Don't worry about it. I'll tell you later." She shrugged it off but Sam scowled,

"Ugh, well can we _finally _go home then?" He nagged, and the small brunette nodded indulgently.

"Yeah, I need to leave. My skin is crawling." Santana grimaced and Quinn nodded vehemently.

They traipsed down the hall, with Brittany jabbering about a second attempt, before ambling down the stairs and onto the street below, splitting off into smaller groups as they all went their separate ways.

-ooOoo-

"Well, this was truly awful." Santana said brightly as Quinn swung the apartment door open.

"I know right. But look on the bright side, we probably don't need a second attempt." Quinn replied, quirking an eyebrow as they removed their coats.

"True. Puck's got a lot of ego, I can't see that ending well." She reasoned, jerking her thumb back over her shoulder as she kicked the door shut.

"So there we go; Puck is a free man, Lily is _hopefully_ out of our lives for good, and we didn't even have to interfere." The blonde shrugged as Santana led the way to the kitchen.

"Yeah, hopefully. I feel a little bad at _how much _we were all going to interfere though." She replied uneasily, leaning her back against the counter-top, "We're supposed to be Puck's friends, he's supposed to be able to trust us, you know?"

"I know, but we _did_ have the best of intentions. Brittany has already seen one of her best friends suffer at the hands of that..._Lily_." Quinn hoisted herself up onto the counter as Santana turned to search through the contents of the fridge, "Can you blame her wanting to protect him?"

"Yeah, I know. She has a good heart; and it was in the right place. Do you want wine? I feel like I need wine." Santana offered the bottle towards Quinn, who bit her lip for a second before nodding eagerly.

"I really shouldn't, but I don't have anything on until a pick-up at like five tomorrow. Eh, why not? I can take the day." She leaned forward, twisting to reach into a high cupboard behind her and pull out two glasses, passing them over to Santana who retrieved the corkscrew from a drawer, "Plus, we didn't _actually _have to do anything."

Santana raised an unimpressed eyebrow at Quinn's excuse as she handed her a glass of wine, but the blonde smiled sweetly, "What? It's true! We didn't even do anything; Sure, we snook into his apartment, but then we just snook right out again. Lily did the hard work for us!" The blonde grinned cheekily, raising her glass in a mock toast, and Santana couldn't help but chuckle along with her, shaking her head disbelievingly.

"Sure. To Lily being a sneaky whore!" She grinned and tapped her glass against the blonde's before taking her hand and pulling her off the counter and towards the couch. They both flopped down and Santana soon nuzzled her head into the blonde's shoulder with a contented groan. Quinn smiled and rested her head against the brunette's tilting to place a small kiss on Santana's forehead before dropping her head back with a small sigh.

-ooOoo-

Quinn grinned into the mattress, her eyes screwed up tight as she stretched out across the bed. Her hand made contact with the other girl's ribs, and she pushed hard, shoving her to the edge with a muffled giggle. Santana groaned and wriggled away, opening one eye to scowl at the blonde as she shifted back into the warm spot she had been forced out of. Quinn shrugged cheekily, gazing up at the other girl with bright eyes, and curled her arm around Santana's waist. The brunette allowed a small smile to spread across her face as Quinn began placing soft kisses up the side of her torso, stopping at her collarbone before bumping the girl's nose with her own. "I love you"

"So you should." Santana replied dryly, and Quinn's mouth dropped open in mock horror,

"What do you mean?" she asked, gently slapping Santana's chest.

"Well you live in my apartment, you eat my food-"

"Your food?"

"Okay your food. And you just woke me up, so I should fucking hope you love me. Otherwise I'd be furious." Santana nodded meaningfully as Quinn snorted.

"Whatever. You're so whipped, you could never be furious with me." she replied cheekily, nibbling at Santana's chin, and the brunette groaned her disapproval again, scowling as she tipped her head back and attempted to writhe out of Quinn's grip.

"Well that's lucky for you then isn't it, otherwise you'd be homeless." she glared at the blonde, finally taking hold of her wrist and shoulder and pushing Quinn's body off her own, rolling them over so she was straddling the girl, "Although if you keep waking up this energetically, I may reconsider."

-o-

"Quinn! Hurry up!" Santana grabbed her jeans off the floor before vaulting over the arm of the sofa, struggling as she attempted to run the length of it and jump over the opposite arm.

"I ang! I'ng jush grushin nga teef!" The blonde called from the bathroom, and Santana rolled her eyes as she stopped in the doorway, hopping on the spot as she repeatedly stamped one foot into the leg of her jeans.

"What have you got left to do? All I need to do is brush my hair then I'm good to go." She buttoned her jeans quickly and stepped forward to reach for the brush, and Quinn nodded in agreement.

"Schame." She replied before spitting into the sink, rinsing her mouth and padding out of the bathroom in the direction of the bedroom, "I just need socks!"

"Okay, we're already like twenty minutes late." Santana shouted back as she tugged a brush through her knotted hair.

"I know, I know!" Quinn groaned as she rushed past the bathroom towards the door, grabbing their coats and returning with Santana's. They shrugged them on and the brunette collected the keys off the kitchen counter while Quinn held the door open.

They jogged down the stairs after a brief dalliance with the idea of using the elevator, and hurried down the street to the bakery,

bar, where the rest of the group were already crowded round a table in a horse shoe-shaped booth.

"Jesus, finally." Jess whined loudly as the two girls approached the table.

"Sorry, we had a late night." Quinn replied icily as the group shuffled up the seats to make space.

"Besides, who demands to meet up for drinks at 11am?!" Santana complained as she tugged her coat off and settled in her seat.

"I did." Puck admitted solemnly as he appeared beside the table with a tray of bottles. "I just got you guys beer like everyone else." He pointed between the two girls as Rachel began unloading the tray and passing the bottles round.

"Oh, hey Puck." Quinn smiled brightly but the boy just nodded. She glanced over at Jess, who's eyes widened knowingly while Brittany grimaced awkwardly at Santana. Thankfully Puck saw neither as he slid into the booth beside Jess and took a long swig of his beer.

"So what's up, buddy?" Sam asked sympathetically as Puck stared stolidly at the table-top.

"Well, I know this is going to get mixed reactions and stuff but either way, I should let you know." He sighed sullenly and Santana bit her lip anxiously while Brittany and Rachel exchanged an uncomfortable glance.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be fine?" She suggested half-heartedly, and Puck nodded distractedly as Quinn shifted in her chair.

"Yeah, I'm just pretty bummed right now. It's just...me and Lily broke up last night." He shrugged sadly.

"Oh my God!" Brittany's jaw dropped mechanically,

Rachel sighed heavily with a pitying expression, "No way."

"That's awful," Quinn stroked his arm affectionately, but Puck rolled his eyes.

"Give it up, guys. I know you all hate her. Don't pretend you're not over the moon." He gazed around the group, challenging them individually, but Jess shrugged,

"Well, I personally have no _real _reason to hate her. And even if some of us don't exactly _like _her," Santana stifled a snort while taking a sip from her bottle, choking momentarily, "We all care about you, we're just disappointed it didn't work out for you."

"Yeah, we just want you to be happy." Sam added supportively, and Puck nodded.

"Sure." He smiled gratefully, but averted his eyes when Santana gave him a small smile, her face still burning.

"So what went wrong?" Quinn asked casually, tilting her head to the side.

"Um...I don't know..." Puck glanced around but stared back at the table self-consciously, "Just, you know, we didn't really...fit. That's all. You know." He shifted uncomfortably and Jess pressed her lips together tightly to control her facial expression.

"Yeah, I understand. It happens." Rachel shrugged understandingly and Puck nodded.

"Yeah, we just...we want different things maybe." He shook his head carelessly before draining the rest of his beer in a few quick gulps, sighing heavily as he plonked the bottle back onto the table. "Okay, who wants another?" He raised his eyebrows and looked around but they all shook their heads and he left to order himself another.

"Oh God. So uncomfortable." Rachel sighed, shaking her head.

"I know, right? 'Want different things'?" Brittany asked incredulously, "Try 'Lily wants a very different thing.'"

"All right!" Santana held up a hand to stop Brittany in her tracks, "We know exactly what the problem was."

"Yeah, did you really think Puck would tell us the truth?" Quinn suggested, "Of course not, I'd be embarrassed, too."

"That's true. It _is _pretty embarrassing." Rachel agreed, wide-eyed, and Santana rolled her eyes.

"I know," Sam nodded, "It's bad enough saying someone else's name in bed; but your ex-girlfriend's?"

"_Who _is also your friend!" Jess added, and Santana shifted in her seat, "And your best friend's sister's girlfriend."

"Tough break." Brittany tutted sympathetically.

"Oh my God!" Santana sighed, and Quinn stifled a giggle "Okay I'm going to the bathroom." Quinn stood up to let Santana shuffle out of the booth, shaking her head as she crossed the bar.

Puck was leaning his forearms on the bar as she passed him, but instead of continuing to the ladies, she doubled back to join him, copying his stance as she sidled up next to him.

"Hey, you want a drink?" He asked tersely, but Santana shook her head with a small, awkward smile.

"No, it's cool; I still have one."

"Oh, okay. Gonna say 'I told you so'? Because I'll be honest, this isn't the best time to point out how much of a jerk I am. Sorry." He avoided her gaze by staring at the various bottles on the shelves, but she turned to face him, leaning one elbow on the bar, and took a deep breath.

"I'm not going to do any of that. I'd be a pretty shitty friend if I did, I think." She frowned thoughtfully and he turned his head to meet her gaze, raising his eyebrows slightly. "I know you're totally bummed. I've been there. Quite literally." She tried to joke, but Puck barely smiled, "Sorry. Yeah, at first I was kind of freaked out. A little.

"You know, she broke my heart. Full on crushed me. But I can't blame you for liking her; I mean, I did too, once. She's a very charming girl, and she's pretty and funny. I'm not surprised you fell for her. And I'm sorry it didn't work out. For you, not her, but I am sorry. You're a nice guy, and you're my friend, and if she would have made you happy, then I would have supported you both."

"Thanks, San. I appreciate that." He swung an arm around her shoulders with a small smile before finally attracting the attention of the bar man and holding his empty bottle aloft. "Sure you don't want one?"

"Nah, I've only had a couple of sips." She slipped her arm around his waist while they waited and he gave her a gentle squeeze.

"I'm sorry about all this you know." He admitted quietly, "When I found out she was your ex, I should have just backed off. It was pretty douchey of me. Bros before hos and all that." He looked down at her guiltily but she shook her head.

"Don't you worry about it. It's not like you knew who she was, or the history or anything. So forget about it. If it helps, none of the others have any lesbian skeletons in the closet so it's highly unlikely that this will happen again. Unless you make a _big_ lifestyle change, but I'm sure Rachel would pass on her little black book to you." She winked cheekily and Puck grinned, shaking his head.

"I think I'll manage myself, thanks."

"Shame, I can just see you in butt-less chaps." Santana tutted, and Puck winked lasciviously.

"Yeah, you wish. I dunno, I'll get over it, I know." He handed his money to the barman and accepted his beer with a large gulp before continuing, "I guess I was already having warning bells, I suppose."

"What? No way!" Santana feigned surprise, "You seemed so thrilled with all the paintings, and the _stuff_! God, the _stuff_!" She clapped a hand to her chest with dramatic sincerity, and Puck chortled, rolling his eyes.

"Alright, alright! Let it go. Yeah, all that stuff about moving in together and buying home furnishings. It was a little too soon for me; she was very full-on you know? She was even talking about getting engaged." He grimaced and Santana snorted.

"How ironic. Well, at least you got out quick; she'd have probably cheated on you eventually anyway. It's kind of her thing." She replied flippantly, but Puck scoffed.

"Maybe you just have no idea how to satisfy a woman." Puck shrugged, and Santana's eyebrows shot skywards, but she nodded at the possibility, keeping her mouth tightly shut. "One day the Puckster'll give you some tips." He winked and sent Santana a cheesy finger-shoot before turning and leading the way back to the table.

Pleased with herself for rising above the comment and allowing Puck his ego-boost, she followed behind him stifling a snort. Momentarily indulging herself in a quiet giggle, she raised her eyes to the heavens and shook her head disbelievingly before clapping the large boy on the back and joining the group back at the table.


	50. Left at the Hydrant

**Hello there! Sorry it's been a little while since I've updated, I was trying to focus on finishing A Christmas Story. I won't be starting another story for a little while so hopefully I can focus on SPB and updating it more often. As always, thank you for reading. Please review and let me know what you think of how the story's going :D**

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><p>"What am I getting for my birthday?" Santana demanded, boring holes in the side of Quinn's head. The large windows opposite them were flung wide open, the noises of the city bellowing in the distance. A cool summer breeze drifted through the sweltering apartment as the sun burned in the sky.<p>

"Nothing if you keep asking." Quinn quirked an eyebrow, staring straight ahead.

"What am I getting for my birthday?" the brunette repeated.

"I'm not telling you!" Quinn turned to stare indignantly back at her.

"Why not?" Santana pouted sweetly, and the blonde rolled her eyes.

"Because it's meant to be a surprise." She chastised.

"So I'm getting a surprise party?" Santana smiled excitedly, clapping her hands together, "Yey."

"No!" Quinn chuckled, dropping her head back on the sofa despairingly.

"Ugh. I promise I'll act surprised." She clasped her face in her hands, her mouth hanging open, "'Oh my God, Rachel! The Barbara Streisand collection! It's perfect! I've wanted this for so long!' See?"

"Don't be mean." Quinn laughed, "But I'm still not telling you. So you can get over it."

"Ugh! Fine." Santana rolled her eyes, turning to sit straight and crossing her arms petulantly, her ankles crossed on the coffee table.

"And don't be spoilt." The blonde turned back to the TV with a smug eyebrow quirk.

Santana's face twisted with a quizzical lip-curl as she focused on the screen, "Why is that man eating a sofa cushion?" She turned to Quinn, "What are you watching?"

"It's something about crazy addictions or something." The blonde raised her eyebrows, her face in a bewitched grimace. They stared at the screen silently, until a knock at the door stole their attention. "It's open!"

"I hope that's the girls, otherwise we're in big trouble." Santana observed.

"Nah, we'll tell them about the guy eating his couch." Quinn shrugged as the door handle rattled.

"Then hit 'em with a bat." Santana added, craning her neck round to watch as Brittany, Jess and Rachel filed in from the hall.

"Hey guys!" Brittany grinned, removing her zip-up and discarding it on a peg. The other girls followed suit and wandered into the living room.

"Hey, how's it going?" Quinn smiled politely from the sofa as Jess paused in the hallway.

"Hey. Good. Can I just…get some water?" The brunette was slightly red in the face, panting as she jerked a thumb over her shoulder.

"Um. Yeah, sure." Quinn replied, bewildered, but Brittany piped up as she dropped onto the chair.

"She's been dancing non-stop for the last two hours. Then she had to call the phone company before six so she could get reconnected, but she had to go home to use that phone so she ran all the way from the subway. She didn't have time to shower or get a drink before coming straight here." Brittany nodded solemnly as she finished.

"Showbiz is hard." Rachel added knowledgably, shaking her head. Jess slumped through into the lounge before collapsing on the sofa beside Santana.

"Oh my God, you smell like ass." Santana stated bluntly. Quinn snorted as Jess scowled.

"Well I'm sorry, I was rushing to enjoy the pleasure of your company." She deadpanned sarcastically.

The brunette beside her smiled sweetly, "You're welcome."

"Well, you can go take a shower if you want? We'll wait for you to put the movie on." Quinn offered, leaning round Santana to address Jess.

"Yeah, we're watching this awesome show about people eating furniture." Santana interrupted, and Rachel's jaw dropped in horror as Brittany nodded eagerly.

"Really? Are you sure?" Jess grimaced but Santana's nose wrinkled as she stuck her neck out to give the girl a small sniff.

"Positive."

"There you go. Now you can stop complaining." Brittany smiled lovingly and Jess rolled her eyes.

"Thank you." She pushed herself off the sofa and padded down the hallway as Quinn called after her.

"Towels are in the top of the closet, use whatever's by the tub!"

-ooOoo-

Jess settled back on the sofa with a sigh of relief, towel-drying her copper hair as she did so, "Thank you so much, I feel so much better."

Santana sniffed the girl once more, retreating with a satisfied smile, "Our pleasure."

Jess narrowed her eyes in a glare as Quinn leaned forward to pick up the stack of DVD cases on the coffee table, "Okay, attention. Tonight is my choice so we have…Avengers, The Dark Knight, The Breakfast Club, The Notebook, Knocked up, The Reader, Finding Nemo, Pitch Perfect or Beauty and the Beast." She sat back in the sofa with a content sigh, and Santana frowned.

"You have literally no theme." She remarked.

"I like to go for musicals." Rachel interjected with a proud grin.

"Shocker." Jess added.

"Lesbians." Santana boasted.

"No way." Jess mocked, rolling her eyes.

"Disney movies." Brittany grinned, and Jess' face crumpled into an expression of admiration.

"Awh." She cooed.

"Um…sorry?" Quinn frowned, shifting awkwardly.

"No, I like it!" Santana smiled comfortingly, patting the blonde on the arm, "You have something for everybody."

"I vote Finding Nemo or Beauty and the Beast!" Brittany piped up with an excited smile, "Ooh, or Pitch Perfect."

"No! Avengers." Santana protested, "Or you know…Pitch Perfect." She added casually.

"I'm in. The harmonies are said to be ground-breaking." Rachel shrugged happily as Jess nodded.

"Yuss!" Quinn fist pumped triumphantly, "I just bought it today, I was gonna put it on no matter what you chose." She grinned before standing and crossing to the TV, pressing buttons and switching channels until the menu appeared on the screen.

"Oh by the way," Santana glanced around at the girls as Quinn took her seat again and pressed play on the remote, "I meant to ask you guys, whatamIgettingformybirthday?" She asked quickly.

Brittany snorted as Rachel rolled her eyes, "We're still not telling you."

"Hell, I'm broke." Jess raised an eyebrow, "I'm not getting you anything."

"Don't worry." Brittany waved a hand dismissively, "She's already got you something." She smiled, winking at Santana as Jess stared at the tall blonde, her mouth dropping open indignantly.

"Brittany!" She chastised, as Santana sniggered smugly.

"Ha ha. You love me. But you can totally tell me, it's practically my birthday anyway!" She shrugged as Quinn sighed impatiently.

"Santana you have less than twenty-four hours to wait. It won't _kill_ you." She nudged the girl with a sharp elbow and Santana winced loudly, "Sh! It's starting."

The girls all fell quit as Quinn glared, her eyes soon glued to the screen in anticipation.

-ooOoo-

"That was awesome." Brittany grinned, "I totally have to learn that cup song thing."

"I know right?" Quinn shook her head in awe, "I wonder how long it took her to learn that."

"It was the best movie I've watched in this apartment for months." Rachel rolled her eyes, "It's so nice to have a break from confused bi-curious teenage girls full of hormones and angsty silences."

"Pfft! What film were _you _watching?" Santana snorted, raising an eyebrow, "Did you see that Chloe girl? She was so gay."

"Was not!" Rachel frowned quizzically.

"Who cares?!" Quinn piped up with a smirk, "Everybody loved the film, and I am awesome at movie night."

"Truth." Jess interjected, "What time is it, should we watch another, or…?" She trailed off with a shrug as Brittany checked the time on her phone.

"Half nine." She replied, "What do you think?"

"No!" Rachel shook her head firmly, "You guys feel free to continue but I need to go home. I'm rehearsing first thing, all day tomorrow for opening night next week!" She grinned excitedly but Santana's jaw dropped in horror.

"What?!" She scowled, "You're rehearsing all day on my birthday?"

Rachel shrugged apologetically, "Sorry, San. I'll come over tomorrow night to give you your present."

"You're my best friend!" Santana argued, hurling individual M&Ms at the small brunette, "And you're not even coming to my party?"

"What party?" Brittany frowned, "You're having a party?"

"Of course I am." Santana nodded slowly, turning to give Quinn an exaggerated wink. The blonde rolled her eyes as Santana lifted air quotes, "But I know 'nothing about it'." She sent another wink in Brittany's direction, who raised her eyebrows in bemusement.

"She's not having a party." Quinn shook her head, "We're heading to the bar for around five, and Santana intends to drink until at least three am." She smiled sweetly, taking Santana's hand, "And I'm expecting to carry her home at around one."

"Sounds like a plan." Jess nodded, impressed, "Got my back, Britts?" She smiled questioningly through a mouth of popcorn and the tall blonde grinned, nodding happily. "Perfect. I'm in."

"Well, I maybe won't make it for five," Rachel chewed her lip thoughtfully, "But I should be done for eight? Can you last that long?" She tilted her head patronizingly at Santana, who growled under her breath.

"Fine. Well that will have to do, won't it?" She crossed her arms reproachfully, "I guess in times of need you really _do_ realise who your friends are."

Rachel rolled her eyes, "I'll see you there then. However, for now I will bid you all adieu." She stood up swiftly, collecting her jacket from a peg, "Are you guys staying?"

She raised her eyebrows at Britany and Jess, who glanced at each other cluelessly for a second before Jess gave a loud sigh, "Yeah I suppose. Sorry, San, we'll celebrate with you tomorrow." Brittany levered herself off the chair and caught the two hoodies as Rachel tossed them over their heads, "I'm wiped from today and I can hear my bed calling me." She smiled apologetically before accepting her hoodie from Brittany and pulling it over her shoulders.

"Okay, guys. It's been swell." Quinn grinned, pushing herself off the sofa to see them out.

"See you tomorrow," Santana called as they filed out of the front door, "I look forward to receiving all of my many gifts and abundancies!"

Quinn shut the door behind them with a wave and a soft click, before returning to the sofa with a sigh, "So…you're excited?"

Santana shrugged casually, "Nah, not really. Just another year, birthdays aren't that important to me." She shook her head before grinning suddenly, her eyes shining with excitement, "Of course I am!"

"Good. I hope you like your present." She added thoughtfully as Santana wove her arms around Quinn's, resting her head on the blonde's shoulder.

"Fool-proof way to find out? Tell me what it is." She advised as Quinn shook her head silently.

"Shall we go to bed? I'm in the shop tomorrow at half eight." Santana opened her mouth to protest but the blonde raised a hand to silence her, "Don't worry, I'm closing early so I can come to the bar."

"Good." The brunette settled with a contented sigh, "Need any help tomorrow?"

"I don't mind. Enjoy your day off." Quinn shrugged, but Santana shook her head.

"No I'll come to bed with you now. I have a couple of e-mails to send in the morning but I could come in later on?" Santana offered and Quinn smirked, shaking her head.

"God, late on the first day! You're the worst employee ever."

"It's fine, I'm sleeping with the boss." Santana shrugged, "My job is secure."

"Lucky boss." Quinn added before easing her girlfriend off her shoulder and standing up with a large stretch, "I'm going to use the bathroom, make sure you turn off all the lights."

"Uh-huh, I know." Santana nodded, reaching for the remote and flicking the TV off as the blonde left the room.

Half an hour later and they were laid side-by-side in the bed, limbs and blankets strewn around as the huffed in the dim light.

"Did you open the window?" Santana groaned as Quinn nodded beside her.

"Yes, as wide as it goes. Just, get out from under the covers."

"Vikings might get me in the night." Santana argued and the blonde giggled.

"I'll protect you." She replied sleepily, and the brunette snorted.

"Oh, sure. How?"

"I dunno." Quinn yawned loudly, "Hit 'em with a bat."

-ooOoo-

"Happy Birthday to you." Quinn sang softly, and Santana shifted grumpily. "Happy Birthday to you."

"Shh!" The brunette groaned, rolling over with a yawn.

Quinn giggled, rolling her eyes and prodding the other girl in the ribs, "Get up. You haven't shut up about today for what feels like a year, so you can damn well get up and enjoy it." She placed her hand gently on Santana's shoulder, rolling her onto her back slowly with a smile.

"Happy Birthday." Santana opened one eye to see Quinn, fully-dressed and holding a fairly small, cube-shaped box.

"Ooh, whassat?" She mumbled, opening both eyes and blinking at the sunlight.

"Your first birthday present." Quinn announced proudly, moving the box closer to the brunette, who pushed herself into a sitting position and elbowed the pillow a few times before settling happily.

"Cool! What do you mean 'first'?" Santana raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

"First, as in first." Quinn glanced away before looking back to Santana with a quizzical frown. "You'll get more throughout the day."

"Awesome!" The brunette grinned, immediately throwing her arms around Quinn's neck and pulling her close.

"Woah! Careful!" Quinn winced, wrapping one arm around Santana's back, and holding the box at arm's length in an attempt to stop it from being crushed. "Come on, open this."

Santana pulled away as the blonde thrust the box into her hand. "Ooh, what is this?" She grinned excitedly, pulling at the ribbon around the box. It fell away in her hand and she eased the lid off with a delighted gasp, "Oh my God! It's adorable, you're so cute."

Sat in her hand was a large cupcake. It was made from layers of different coloured cake mix, stacked into a rainbow pattern, swirled with turquoise and white frosting, and topped with sprinkles, separated into colours to make the batman logo, sitting proudly atop the huge cupcake. Santana's jaw dropped in wonder as she turned the box round in her hand, gazing at it with wide eyes.

"Quinn, it's beautiful." She turned to the blonde, her mouth still slightly open, "This must have taken you forever. The sprinkles! Batman, I love it. The rainbow cake! It's incredible."

"No, it's no big deal." She shrugged bashfully, but Santana raised an eyebrow incredulously.

"I don't believe you. You're doing that thing where you act humble when it actually took you a lot of time and effort. Aren't you?"

Quinn hesitated for a second before nodding firmly, "Yeah. That batman logo took me _forever_." She giggled, "But I'm glad you like it."

"I do!" Santana rocked happily from side to side before leaning over to deposit the cupcake carefully on the bedside table. Crossing her legs, she pushed herself up onto her knees to wrap her arms around Quinn's neck once again. She hung all of her weight off the girl's neck, pulling her back down to lay on the bed, giggling wildly. Quinn screamed as she lost her balance, tumbling down on top of Santana on the bed. She bumped her nose gently against Santana's, grinning before closing the gap between them in a gentle kiss. The brunette closed her eyes contentedly, relaxing back into the pillows as she did so.

Quinn pulled away a few minutes later, lifting herself to arm's length, her hands either side of Santana's face as her hair hung in a short curtain around them. "I love you." She grinned and Santana gave a small squeal, scrunching her face up in a big grin.

"Thanks. I love you, too." She bit her lip, her eyes shining with excitement. "So much."

"Good." Quinn gave a sharp nod before leaning down to press a gentle kiss on the brunette's nose, "And as much as I'd love to stay here all day…I have to get to work."

"Okay." Santana pouted playfully, "I'll see you there in a little bit."

"Okay!" Quinn grinned, "I can't wait to get to spend all day with you for a change."

"I know right? I can't wait to play shop-girl." She winked at Quinn, who pushed herself off the bed with a sigh. She snuggled back into the pillow with a small yawn, watching as the blonde gathered her bag and cardigan and slipped on her converse.

"Right, I'm going. I love you." She leaned down for another quick kiss, "See you soon. Make sure you don't go back to sleep."

Santana narrowed her eyes in a playful glare, "I won't. I love you, too, see you later." She watched the blonde's retreating back grinning as Quinn turned to shoot her a wave before closing the front door behind her. Rolling her head to the side, she eyed-up the homemade cupcake with a swelling sense of pride. _Awesome cupcake. From my awesome Cupcake Girl._ She grinned cheekily, kicking her legs happily before taking a deep breath and dragging herself out of the bed.

Just after eleven, once she was showered, dressed and had sent all of her work emails, she pushed her feet into a pair of comfy old Nikes and grabbed her keys, setting off for the bakery in a baseball shirt and jeans. After jogging down the many stairs, she emerged into the bright sunlight with a content sigh, quickly sliding her Ray Bans onto her face. She wandered easily through the streets, enjoying the sunshine on the short walk to the busy bakery, reaching it a few moments earlier.

Pushing the door open, Santana craned her neck over the short queue of people and greeted the blonde with a wide grin, inhaling deeply as the scent of fresh baking drifted to her nostrils. Quinn beamed back at her as she slid a tray of bright purple cupcakes into the glass cabinet.

"Hey, boss!" Santana raised an eyebrow as she joined the blonde behind the counter, "How's things?"

"Things are good." Quinn grinned, "How's your morning been?"

"Pretty good. My mom and dad called and said Happy Birthday. Their card hasn't arrived yet but I'm excepting a big fat check." Santana raised an eyebrow smugly and winked. "And Olivia text me and said Happy birthday, she's going to Skype me tomorrow so Luke can sing to me." She raised her eyes upwards and clasped her chest intensely, "I'm so lucky."

"Yes you are. Do I get serenaded when it's my birthday?" Quinn asked hopefully,

"Not by _my_ boy." Santana replied defensively, suddenly grinning, "But I'll sing to you?"

"Perfect. Only two weeks to wait!" The blonde did a little celebration dance and Santana chuckled.

"So, what can I do?" She rubbed her hands together readily, and Quinn shrugged thoughtfully.

"Um, I've just stocked up so if you can go out back and slice me some fruit, and I'll serve out here." She gave a sweet smile and Santana nodded.

"I can definitely do that." She stepped across to the kitchen doorway, pulling a short apron off the hook with a cheeky grin as Quinn took the man's order, "Any particular way you want them slicing? And what fruit?"

"No, just chop them small. It's for the smoothies so it doesn't have to be neat." She shrugged, handing the man a brown cupcake and accepting the money with a wide smile. "And just…all the fruit in the drawer. Make sure you put the chopped fruit in water in a Tupperware box, otherwise it'll oxidise."

"Yes I know." Santana nodded, smiling wryly. She was used to Quinn's food rules-one of the few things to be transferred from business to home. "Do you want some of it freezing?"

"Not necessary." Quinn replied over her shoulder as she turned to the next customers, three teenage girls, with raised eyebrows. "We'll use it all today. Summer." She shrugged and Santana nodded again before retreating into the kitchen.

The bakery was nice and cool, a stark contrast to the boiling streets, and the radio in the kitchen was loudly blaring the radio. Pulling the fridge open, she stared at the array of fruits in the drawer with a raised eyebrow. There were mangos, two pineapples, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, bananas, kiwis, limes, and something that looked like a dog toy. Her lip curled in bewilderment as she pulled the oddly-shaped fruit out of the drawer, turning to Quinn with a quizzical grimace.

The blonde glanced across between serving customers, and Santana held it out, pointing exaggeratedly to it and mouthing, "What the fuck is this?" She raised an eyebrow and Quinn giggled, rolling her eyes.

"It's a dragonfruit!" She called through to the kitchen before turning back to the next customer, a colourfully-dressed woman of about eighty with large bangles and her fingers adorned with rings, "Sorry about that. I have a new assistant today."

The old lady raised her eyebrows in delight, "Oh really? The pretty girl who just came in?"

"That's her." Quinn nodded, attempting not to beam smugly, "Although don't say that _too _loud, I already have to live with that giant head." She jerked a thumb over her shoulder and the lady chuckled before pointing into the glass case.

"What's the purple?"

"It's lemon and blueberry. Mostly blueberry though, if I'm honest. Hence the colour." The old lady looked impressed, nodding her head slowly.

"Oh, I love blueberries! I'll have one of them. Sounds good." She gave a wide grin, and Quinn couldn't help but beam back at her as she slid one of the cakes into a box, passing it over the counter to the lady. "Perfect, thank you!" She sapped a note into Quinn's palm with a wink. "Kepp the change; you can treat your pretty lady."

"How do you know she's my lady?" Quinn asked, raising an eyebrow as she accepted the note.

"Oh, honey," The lady looked mildly aghast, "You can't keep a secret at all."

Quinn chuckled as the woman raised her eyebrows matter-of-factly, taking the box from the counter and leaving the shop with a bold wave. She punched the price into the till as the next customer stepped up to the counter, glancing down at the note before she placed it into the till, but she paused as her jaw dropped, "Oh my God, Santana!"

The brunette stopped slicing for a moment and popped a piece of pineapple into her mouth before turning to raise an eyebrow at the girl behind the counter. Quinn lowered her voice, glancing over her shoulder, "This is a hundred dollar bill! For a five dollar cupcake."

"What? No way!" Santana's eyes grew wide, "Who gave you that?"

"This old lady who's just bought a blueberry. She said it was for treating my petty lady." Quinn winked before depositing the bill in the till and greeting the next customer.

-ooOoo-

The bakery calmed around one o'clock, after an hour of both girls serving an endless stream of customers, dodging awkwardly to avoid colliding with each other and sighing impatiently over the till. By the time the cupcake rush had died down, they were both glad of a chance to relax and take the weight off their feet. They dragged one of the metal tables outside, sitting in the front alcove housing the doors, nestled in the shade with a large glass of mango smoothie. Santana knocked her sunglasses down from the top of her head, closing her eyes and settling back into her chair.

A moment later, Quinn cleared her throat loudly and the brunette lifted her head, opening her eyes, "Sup sweetie?" She frowned, and the blonde raised an eyebrow, her eyes wide, and jerked her head in the direction of Santana's smoothie glass. The brunette pushed her glasses on top of her head as she gazed at the half-full glass – a pale, fine-paper envelope resting against it with a scrawling hand that read,

_Santana x_

Her face broke into a huge grin as she picked it up, flipping it over to slide a fingernail under the flap and rip it open. "What's this?" She frowned slightly as she tipped the envelope, a fake plastic ring falling into her palm. She pulled out a bright yellow post-tit note, reading the words written on the back.

_Starlight,_

_Left at the hydrant  
>and right at the lights,<em>

_Enter the phone-booth  
>for your next delight.<em>

_Cupcake Girl xxx_

"Oh my God!" Santana's jaw dropped in delight, "What's this?"

"Well, if you follow the instructions, hopefully you'll find out." Quinn grinned wickedly, suddenly frowning thoughtfully, "Although, bare in mind that this _is_ New York, so if you can't find a clue, or it's been stolen or…urinated on or something, just text me and I'll send you the next set." The blonde waved a hand casually before leaning across the table to kiss Santana's cheek lightly.

Santana gave a little squeal as she read the message once again, her insides bubbling with excitement, "I can't believe it! I love treasure hunts!"

"Hopefully you'll enjoy it more than the last one." Quinn added with a reminiscent smile.

"That was an ea_ster egg hunt. _It's different." Santana scowled at the memory before grinning once again, "Besides, I'm sure yours will be _way_ better."

"Well then, I officially give you the next…" She glanced at the time on her phone with a shrug, "hour?"

"Challenge accepted." Santana replied mock-intensely, leaning forward for another quick kiss before dropping her sunglasses onto her nose dramatically, draining her smoothie and standing up. The blonde joined her, picking up the two glasses as she did so.

Craning forward, she gave Santana another quick kiss, smiling contentedly, "Go have an adventure."


	51. Happy Birthday

**Hello! Sorry it's been such a wait, but to try an make it up to you all, this chapter is SUPER long. It's twice the length of normal chapters, mostly because I didn't want to drag it out for too long. Back to normal next chapter. Than kyou for reading, pleeease leave reviews for me and let me knwo what you think, I'd really appreciate it!**

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><p>Santana followed a trail of clues leading her round the block over and over on the same route, each one containing a small piece of costume jewellery, until finally the trail led back to the bakery. She rolled her eyes humorously as Quinn waved through the window with an enthusiastic grin. She noted the<em> Back in five minutes! <em>note on the door as she pushed her way into the bakery with an incredulous smile.

"Surprise!" Quinn called gleefully as the door swung shut behind the brunette.

"Very clever, I like how my birthday present was walking round the block for the last half an hour." Santana raised an eyebrow with a giggle, leaning over the counter to pull the blonde into a long kiss, "Also, how do you get away with a sign on the door saying you're not here when you're stood…right here?" Santana pointed to the floor at Quinn's feet, and the blonde shrugged.

"I locked the door until I saw you coming." She admitted with a guilty grimace.

"And no one came to the door while it was locked?" Santana raised an eyebrow.

Quinn's face remained impassive as she held up an A4 piece of paper with a large message wrote in black sharpie.

**Surprise for my girlfriend.  
>Back to work in five minutes.<br>Sorry for any inconvenience.**

Santana couldn't help but laugh loudly at the deadpan expression and matching message on the paper, "That seems so heartfelt." She commented sardonically.

"I'm a romantic." Quinn shrugged again, before holding out another envelope to Santana. The brunette rolled her eyes playfully with a grin and took the envelope carefully, pausing as her fingers reached in.

"Hang on." Santana frowned, "Before I open this, how come I didn't see any of the other clues as I was walking round the block?" She raised an eyebrow and Quinn smiled blandly.

"I just had Jess follow you around the block putting out the next round of clues behind you." The blonde shrugged, clearly proud of herself.

"What? You can't have, I would have seen her." Santana scoffed, but Quinn jerked an eyebrow.

"Clearly Jess is stealthier than you think."

Santana narrowed her eyes in a suspicious glare before pulling out the post-it note and scanning over the message.

_A final clue, to end your trail,  
>And now your gift will be unveiled.<br>Look to the left, and through the glass,  
>Place your order and wait for the pass<br>I hope you've had fun, and it wasn't a bore,  
>A very happy birthday, and many more.<em>

Her face split into a huge grin and she gazed at the blonde for a moment, who twisted her mouth mock-awkwardly and jerked a thumb to Santana's left. The girl bent at the waist to examine the cake case, and in doing so found a small square box on a tray of it's own, labelled Birthday Delight. She straightened, raising an intrigued eyebrow, and Quinn smiled politely.

"Hello, miss, what can I get you today? And may I say you look positively delightful." The blonde winked cheekily and Santana giggled.

"In light of recent compliments, I will have a Birthday Delight please, lady." Quinn nodded as she leaned into the case, "And I might add, you also look lovely."

Quinn deposited the small box on the counter before splaying her hands with a hopeful smile. Santana gasped as she took in the bright turquoise colour and soft white ribbon tied in a bow on top. She glanced up at Quinn in disbelief, who smiled nervously and nodded to the box. Santana reached out and placed it on her upturned palm before grasping the end of the ribbon between her thumb and forefinger and pulling slowly until it fell away in her hand. She eased the lid off slowly and her face broke into a huge grin. A small, heart-shaped silver padlock sat in the cushioned box, hanging from a thin silver chain. She reached in with her fingers and laid it on them, turning the silver pendant over to see that the opposite side was bright red.

Santana's eyes widened as she stared at the necklace, sliding upwards to meet Quinn's with a look of wondrous delight as her jaw dropped open, "Quinn it's beautiful!" She grinned, gently placing the necklace back in the box.

"No, it's nothing really," Quinn shrugged bashfully, averting her eyes to the open box as Santana placed it back on the counter softly.

"It's amazing! I love it." The brunette grinned and threw her arms around Quinn's neck, leaning over the counter to pull her into a tight hug, "Thank you so much! I love it."

"So you've said." The blonde giggled, "Okay. Well I'm very glad you like it. Of course, I _can _return it if you want me to, we can go down to Tiffany and exchange it for something else you'd prefer?"

Santana pulled back, shaking her head vehemently, "No! There is _nothing _I'd prefer." She stated surely and Quinn nodded with relief.

"Good." She let out a deep sigh, "It's actually a special edition. Usually it's all silver of half-turquoise. But I figured red was more," She paused thoughtfully with a shrug, "you."

Santana giggled and Quinn grinned, "It _is _very me. And once again, I love it. Thank you so much." She took the blonde's hand in her own as she picked up the open box with the other hand, "So would you do the honours?" She raised an eyebrow and Quinn nodded with a grin.

"Of course." She took the box and Santana spun on the spot, leaning back so Quinn could fasten the clasp around her neck.

"It's perfect, thank you." Santana grinned down at the necklace resting on her chest with a happy chuckle.

-oOo-

"Hey! What's up?" Puck bellowed with a huge grin as Santana, Quinn, Jess and Brittany filed into the bar. He had already saved the booth nearest the stage and stood as they entered, spreading his arms wide and stepping off the slightly raised platform to pulling Santana into a huge bear hug.

They all chorused their hellos as the wind was forced out of the brunette as Puck crushed her ribs, "Hey Puck." She greeted in a choked wheeze, "Thanks."

He set her back on her feet as the other girls took a seat at the table, "Happy Birthday, San!" Puck slid back into the booth and Santana took a seat beside Quinn, "I took the liberty of already ordering everybody two beers each, and a shot of celebration Jack Daniels."

Puck grinned wickedly, gesturing to the drinks on the table to mixed reactions. Jess and Brittany began handing out drinks as Quinn grimaced, Santana rubbed her hands together gleefully and Rachel visibly paled.

"No way, I _hate_ whiskey." She shook her head firmly and Puck rolled his eyes.

"It's good for your vocal chords or something." He shrugged and pushed the glass towards her and her shoulders slumped petulantly.

"Just get it down your little Jewish neck." Santana chastised, "Tis my birthday and you're going to drink way worse than whiskey." She narrowed her eyes at Rachel smugly before throwing her shot back in one gulp with a deep breath. The rest of the group followed suit quickly, rasping and shuddering in unison.

"Okay, present time!" Jess announced, clapping her hands together with a huge grin.

"Yes." Santana nodded seriously, "Who's up first?"

"Ooh, me!" Brittany held her hand up in the air before taking a large gulp of her beer and reaching beside her to push a package across the table to Santana. "Open it!" She insisted and Santana chuckled before ripping violently through the paper.

"Oh my God, Britt!" She laughed loudly as she unfolded the fabric inside, "Princess Leia bathrobe!" She held the robe aloft to show off the design with an amazed grin, "This is amazing!"

She turned it over in her hands to check out the whole design, and Quinn reached forward to hold out the hood, "Oh my God, look! The hood even has her hair buns on it!" Santana nodded excitedly before re-folding the towelling robe and leaning over the table to high-five Brittany.

"Thanks, Britts. It's awesome and I love it."

"I knew you would." Britany grinned smugly as Rachel held out a bag to Santana, who accepted it happily.

"Thank you very much!" She placed the bag on the table and reached in to pull out the first gift, and one eyebrow raised, "'The Ultimate Musicals Collection: Piano Volume One.' That's awesome, Rachel." She smiled politely.

"I know it's not your _dream _gift, but I'm going to need help rehearsing for when I'm a big star." Rachel nodded seriously and Santana nodded with a small smile.

"No problem, thank you."

"Now look in the bag." Rachel ordered, and Santana reached in once again to pull out a large bottle.

"Tequila! That's more like it!" She grinned, holding the bottle aloft triumphantly, "Good gift, Rach."

"I totally got you." The small brunette boasted, and Santana rolled her eyes, "Now, last one!"

She pulled out the last gift and chuckled as she held the mug in her hand, frowning quizzically at the box in front of her, "No offence Rach, but what is it?" She raised her eyebrows at Rachel, who smiled before explaining.

"It's a USB warmer. I thought you could use it at school; you just plug it in to your computer and it heats up to keep your coffee warm. There's also a hollow coaster in the shape of an oreo attached to it that you can use to warm cookies. I figured it'd be good for the winter; you wouldn't shut up complaining about how cold your classroom was this year." Rachel finished her explanation and Santana's jaw dropped.

"It's amazing! Yes, my coffee and classroom a_re _always freezing."

"Much like your heart." Jess interjected with a sweet smile.

"Exactly." Santana grinned brazenly, "It's perfect I can't wait to try it out! Thank you!" She grinned at Rachel before putting the gifts back in the bag and depositing them on an empty seat at the booth.

"Okay mine next!" Jess grinned, pushing a huge box across the table. Quinn's eyes widened dramatically as Santana's jaw dropped.

"Um…thanks." Santana looked perplexed by the huge bxo, and Jess gave it an extra shove.

"Open it."

She nodded, still wide-eyed at the size of the box, before ripping in to the wrapping paper. She pulled back a thick strip of the patterns paper and immediately the identity of the gift was known.

"Oh my God, Jess!" She shouted, delighted. "A home slushie machine! Oh my God! Yes!" Her face lit up as she pulled away the rest of the wrapping, standing the box on end to look at it properly.

"You get one every time you leave the house so I figured this way you could make them all summer." Jess grinned and Santana clapped her hands together, standing to lean over and pull Jess into a hug.

"It's amazing! They all are, thank you so much, guys!" She grinned happily as Jess reached out for the box.

"Hey, give me those presents; Carly behind the bar said we can keep them in their store room for the night." Quinn passed the presents over and Jess disappeared to the bar, reappearing a few moments later.

"Sam's coming in like half an hour." Puck informed them, "We got you something between us, San."

"What? No way!" She grinned, "Thanks, guys, I wasn't expecting anything."

"Awh man." Puck rolled his eyes, "Could have saved myself three dollars." He shook his head disappointedly and Santana gave his arm a shove. "Anyway! Until he gets here, what's the gang thinking of singing this evening?" He raises his eyebrows and the girls all made blank faces, shrugging or gazing away thoughtfully.

"Well, I actually have an idea." Quinn announced proudly, "But I'm not telling you what it is." She added quickly and Brittany groaned.

"Oh, man! Why would you tell us if you're not going to say what it is?" She pouted and Quinn rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Well even though Quinnie may be more tight-lipped than a nun's-"

"Puck!" Rachel slapped his arm hard, a disgusted grimace on her face.

"Okay!" He placated her with a disgruntled frown, "_Anyway, _even if Quinn won't tell, I will!" He leaned in conspiratorially with a look of glee, "Okay, this is my new technique. I am going to sing a song whilst my wingman here..." He gestured to Santana, "Will check out which hottie in this bar gives the biggest reaction, and then she is the girl I will be taking home tonight."

He settled his elbows on the back of the booth with a self-satisfied smirk as the girls gave mixed reactions. Brittany gazed at him in wonder whilst Jess' eyes were narrowed with suspicion; Rachel still looked disgusted; Quinn raised a sceptical eyebrow and Santana nodded thoughtfully, the corners of her mouth downturned in consideration.

"That will never work." Quinn stated, and Rachel nodded furiously.

"That is a ridiculous idea, Puck. Firstly, no girl is going to swoon uncontrollably over you singing some random love ballad, especially not enough for you to go and give her some cheesy chat-up line and get her to go home with you." She shook her head disapprovingly and Jess grimaced apologetically.

"Yeah, I just can't see it happening." She added with a confused frown, but Puck shook his head.

"Nah, man. You guys have no idea. Santana?" He raised his eyebrows and the girl paused thoughtfully.

"No, I'm sorry but I agree with Puck." He bumped his fist triumphantly against her hand, laid relaxed on the table, and she frowned before continuing, "Girls love that rom-com shit." She shrugged, "I think some bimbo will happily fall for the fate and awful line."

Brittany nodded, "And luckily, the girls stupid enough to fall for the song are usually the kind of girls who will go home with a random guy in a bar." She smiled sweetly at the girls before nodding seriously to Puck, "Nicely thought-out plan, bro."

"Thank you." He winked at the blonde before stretching out like a smug cat, "And tonight, Santana, in honour of your birthday, _you _are my wingman of choice."

The girl smiled jubilantly as Jess raised her eyebrows.

"Santana, huh? Not Sam?"

"Speak of the devil." Quinn interjected, nodding to the blonde boy approaching the booth.

"Santana!" He called with perfect timing. The girls chortled as Santana rolled her eyes playfully," Sup?" Sam grinned at them before grabbing Santana's hand and pulling her to her feet, crushing her in a huge hug.

"Jesus Christ, I'm never having another birthday again!" Santana croaked before Sam released her and she slumped back on the seat with a thud.

"Happy Birthday, Santana!" Sam pushed a bag across the table after taking a seat beside Rachel, "From me and Puck."

Puck sat back confidently as the brunette braced herself mentally and reached in to the bag. She pulled out a small, wrapped parcel, and immediately pulled the wrapping off and giggled loudly.

"Drumstick pencils…" She read aloud from the packet, "Thank you so much. I cannot physically imagine anything more useful." She grinned and patted Sam's arm gratefully before reaching in for the next gift.

"Saucy fridge poetry! Awesome!" She stared down at the different magnets, reading through the options before passing them to Quinn,

"I'm gonna leave you _the most_ disturbing messages." The blonde chortled, and Sam grimaced, turning to Puck.

"Re-thinking allowing you to get her t_hat _gift." He scowled and Puck nodded, grinning widely.

"Whatever dude. And talking of saucy…" He sat forward but Brittany interrupted.

"Hold on, there's still one more!" She pulled it out of the bag and tossed it across to Santana, who fumbled slightly before catching it and pulling the paper off.

"Zombie eye mask!" She grinned as Quinn's face fell.

"You are not wearing that." She stated bluntly, and Puck's jaw dropped in horror.

"No way, Q! You can't forbid the use of a gift!" He scowled at her and Sam nodded vehemently,

"Yeah, I spend good money on that!" He protested as Santana slipped it over her eyes, half of her face instantly transformed into that of a zombie.

"Um, that still has the $3 price tag on it." Rachel pointed out, and Sam turned to stare at her.

"Who's side are you on?" He asked, sounding slightly hurt, but Rachel shrugged,

"I'd have to say Quinn's. Can you imagine waking up and rolling over to see _that_ thing?" She asked incredulously.

"I don't think I'd mind, it wouldn't freak me out." Brittany shrugged, and Jess snorted so hard she nearly spat out her mouthful of beer.

"Bullshit!" She placed her bottle back on the table and raised an eyebrow at Brittany, "You get scared watching nature documentaries."

Brittany paused thoughtfully, before giving a quick nod and turning back to the table to take a sip of her beer.

"Okay, so now that you've been given the most awesome presents!" Puck clapped his hands, rubbing them together excitedly, "Who's singing?"

"I'll go." Quinn replied, placing her bottle on the desk and crossing the bar to place a request.

"How come all the instruments are out tonight?" Jess asked with a frown.

"Oh, every now and then there's a band on as well, so they'll play sets through the night and it's karaoke the rest of the time." Brittany explained, and Jess nodded along.

"Yup, and I am going to _rock_ that acoustic." Puck boasted with a wink.

"Sam!" Quinn called from the stage, beckoning with her hand, "Come here, I'm up!"

Her brother frowned, but eased himself off the seat and edged past the girls to join Quinn on the stage. The group watched, confused, as they had a muffled conversation involving Quinn clasping her hands pleadingly, and Sam tilting his head, grimacing uneasily. Santana's lip curled in confusion until finally Quinn slapped him on the arm and Sam begrudgingly picked up the acoustic guitar.

Santana swapped round to the other side of the table to get a better view of the stage, while Puck turned in his seat, resting his elbow on the back of the booth as the karaoke machine played the introduction and Sam joined in with the familiar riff. Quinn took a deep breath, sending a quick grin in Santana's direction before licking her lips and opening her mouth to sing.

"It's all about you. It's all about you, baby. It's all about you. It's all about you." Santana's face split into a wide grin as Sam's voice joined Quinn's in harmony.

"Yesterday you asked me something I thought you knew," Quinn continued, her hands shaking slightly on the mic in its stand, "So I told you with a smile, it's all about you."

The group all began to clap and cheer, but Santana quickly shushed them so she could hear, sitting back in the booth and turning to give Rachel a delighted glance.

"Then you whispered in my ear and you told me, too. Said 'you make my life worthwhile, it's all about you.'"

Sam took over with an excitable air-kick before leaning in to his own mic, "And I would answer all your wishes, if you ask me to. But if you deny me one of your kisses, don't know what I'd do."

Quinn caught Santana's eye as she stepped back to the microphone with a nervous giggle, "So hold me close and say three words like you used to do. Dancing on the kitchen tiles, it's all about you, yeah."

Both siblings chuckled as the group began cheering in the instrumental, before joining in to sing the chorus together, "And I would answer all your wishes, if you ask me to. But if you deny me one of your kisses, don't know what I'd do. So, hold me close and say three words like you used to do. Dancing on the kitchen tiles," Quinn gave Santana a cheeky wink as Sam stepped back from his mic and the music fell away, "Yes you make my life worth-while, so I told you with a smile…it's all about you."

Santana stared up at the stage, eyes wide, before nudging Rachel with her elbow. The brunette beside her was grinning widely at Sam, and she tilted her head to indicate she was listening.

"You know something, Rach?" Santana said softly as Sam and Quinn continued harmonising in the background, both girls refusing to tear their eyes from the stage. Rachel gave a small nod and Santana gave a small smile, "I'm gonna marry that girl one day." She reached out to pick up her bottle, taking a small swig of beer to clear the lump in her throat as Rachel nodded slowly beside her.

"I know." She replied simply, and Santana smiled at her before turning back to the blonde at centre-stage.

"It's all about…you." They both finished, and Quinn grinned as the bar began applauding, leaning back in to the mic with a nervous wave, "Thank you so much, everyone. That was for Santana, that's my girlfriend, because it's her birthday!"

The bar began cheering and Quinn held out an arm in Santana's direction, who glared up at the girl as Rachel pushed her to her feet. She took a large gulp of her drink, shaking her head threateningly at the stage as everyone began to sing Happy Birthday. She gave a self-conscious wave of thanks before sitting back time and giving Rachel a slap on the arm and a narrowed glare as Quinn and Sam approached the table once more. Santana stood up to pull Quinn into a tight hug, grinning into the blonde's shoulder.

"That was amazing. You are the sweetest. I love you." She said quietly as Quinn wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist with a relieved smile.

"Awh thank you and I love you, too. But actually, I think you'll find that _you_ are the sweetest." She nodded seriously as Santana pulled back, holding both of the blonde's hands in her own, "That's why you get a song. Not just because it's your birthday."

"Awesome. Does that mean whenever I'm sweet I get a song?" Santana asked excitedly, but Quinn's eyes narrowed and she quirked an eyebrow.

"I suspect an ulterior motive." She paused thoughtfully, "Yes you get a song; no, you don't get to request it."

"God damn!" Santana sighed with disappointment, "Well that's no fun." She pouted playfully before taking her seat, pulling the blonde into the booth beside her and clasping her hand tightly in her own.

"Okay, who's round is it?" Quinn asked, gazing around the table, but the group stayed silent. She glanced around, "Puck?"

"What?" He frowned, "I got the last round! And it was huge." He folded his arms grumpily and Quinn sighed.

"Okay, I'll pay if you go to the bar?" She raised an eyebrow and he glared at the table, glanced back to Quinn before sighing heavily and nodding, reaching out to shake the blonde's hand. He pushed himself to his feet as they began ordering,

"Another beer, please." Jess smiled.

"Same." Brittany nodded seriously.

"Can I have a cosmopolitan?" Rachel smiled sweetly and Quinn frowned.

"Hey! Easy on the ridiculously expensive drinks, Berry!" she giggled, "You can have anything that costs under five dollars."

Rachel rolled her eyes, "I will _pay_ the extra dollar." She replied, searching in her bag before holding a hand out to Sam, muttering to him, "I don't have a dollar." The blonde boy gave a short laugh before slapping a dollar note into her upturned hand and Rachel promptly passed it to Quinn, who handed it passed Santana to Puck. He nodded his thanks to Sam, who nodded knowingly.

"Beer."

"Okay, San? Q? What'll it be?"

"It's my birthday so I'm going with a blue lagoon, and I also refuse to pay the extra dollar." Santana replied informatively, giving Quinn a quick smile.

The blonde shrugged with a content grin before turning to Puck, "I think I'll have a beer."

"Okay, no problem." Puck nodded, but not looking away from Quinn, who frowned.

"What?"

"He craned his neck slightly as he stared at her, before speaking slowly and deliberately, "Give me some money." He reminded insistently, and Quinn grimaced.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." She grinned guiltily, "Here you go." She handed him a note and he shook his head disbelievingly as he removed himself from the booth and wandered to the bar.

He reached the bar, gesturing to the barman before rattling off the list of various drinks, hurrying before he could forget them. He took a deep breath as he finished and the barman left to make the drinks before turning to lean an elbow on the bar. As he did so, his eyes settled on a tall girl with long, dark hair flowing to the middle of her back. He raised an eyebrow as the barman began placing drinks on the bar in front of him. Making two trips, he carried them back to the table before returning to pay, pausing by the girl. He considered speaking to her but glanced back to the table and hurried back instead.

As he took his seat with his own beer, an announcement rang out through the microphone, "Okay next up we have a man who goes by the name of...Puck!" The DJ called, and the group cheered loudly as he hushed them bashfully, gave them a quick cheeky wink and jogged up onto the stage.

"Hi, it's nice to be here!" He waved shyly before continuing, "This is a song I really love; it just kind of...speaks to me at the moment." He nodded with a reflective smile before nodding to the DJ and removing the mic from it's stand in preparation. He grinned as the piano intro kicked in, shrugging his shoulders in time with the music before taking a deep breath.

"I'm not surprised, not everything lasts. I've broken my heart so many times I stopped keeping track." He shrugged, singing with a humble charm, and Jess couldn't resist quirking her eyebrows as he smiled, "I talked myself in, talked myself out. I get all worked up, then I let myself down." He shook his head sadly as the crowded bar began to nod their heads.

"I tried so very hard not to lose it. I came up with a million excuses," He rested one hand on the mic stand as he shook his head again, "I thought I'd thought of every possibility." He pulled the stand down with a small kick, grinning as he launched into the chorus.

"And I know some day that it'll all turn out, you'll make me work so we can work to work it out. And I promise you, kid, that I'll give so much more than I get. I just haven't met you yet!" He swung an arm through the air to boost the crowd as they cheered.

Santana surveyed the crowd before nodding intensely, leaning in to call over the noise, "Yeah, he's got this."

"Liking a song doesn't mean you'll sleep with the singer!" Quinn replied doubtfully, but Sam snorted.

"Oh please, who wouldn't go home with a mohawked Michael Buble cover with _those _kind of abs!" He protested, and Rachel turned her head to raise an unimpressed eyebrow.

"This bromance has gone too far." She asserted sourly.

"Well, Puck will definitely take _someone _home." Brittany's eyes widened as she nodded her head faux-subtly in Sam's direction.

"He wanted a hottie." Rachel argued defiantly and Jess chuckled, taking a sip of her drink with a nod of agreement.

On the stage, Puck danced his way through an instrumental and continued singing smoothly, "And I know that we can be so amazing, and being in your life is gonna change me, and now I can see every single possibility." The music fell away as he placed the mic back on the stand, gazing wistfully through the crowd, "And someday I know it'll all turn out, and I'll work to work it out. Promise you kid, I'll give more than I get. Oh, you know it'll all turn out. And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out. And I promise you kid, to give so much more than I get. I just haven't met you yet."

Santana curled a leg under herself as she craned her neck over the crowd, her eyes scanning the many girls present. Puck brought the song to a close before returning triumphantly back to his seat, pausing to smile charmingly at many girls as he passed through the crowd.

"Okay, Santana!" He rubbed his palms together as he sat back down, "Phase one is activated. Initiative stage two."

She nodded confidently, "Brunette by the bar rolled her eyes. Blondie by the door's lip curled in disgust. The girl who looks like a lesbian looked enthralled and that weird gingery-coloured girl in the corner danced way too enthusiastically."

"I think you need a higher class of karoake bar." Rachel added with a frown as she followed Santana's commentary with her eyes.

"No way." Puck shook his head with conviction, "I will take home a girl from _this bar,_ tonight." He prodded a finger into the tabletop before glancing at them in turn, "I just need to find her." He finished, _less_ confidently.

"Well you didn't get _any_ reaction," Jess pointed out brightly, "So I'd just go and find _any_ girl and let _her _reject you." She smiled and Puck rolled his eyes before picking up his bottle and leaving the booth, glaring at Jess and making an I'm-watching-you gesture with his fingers.

"So, I actually have some big news!" Rachel announced with a grin.

"Oh God, she's pregnant." Santana groaned, dropping her forehead onto the table with a thunk.

"She's not pregnant, she's moving out." Brittany replied matter-of-factly, and Santana lifted her head off the table, eyebrows raised in amused shock.

"That's great news!" Quinn congratulated, half-confused.

"I'm so happy for you." Santana smiled awkwardly.

"Brittany!" Rachel looked offended, but the blonde shrugged.

"What?" She asked, nonplussed as she took another swig of her drink.

"It was my big news." The small brunette replied sadly, and Brittany glanced around awkwardly before looking back to Rachel guiltily.

"Sorry."

"Anyway," Rachel continued, rolling her eyes, "I'm moving out."

"That's great news!"

"I'm so happy for you." The girls repeated with more enthusiasm.

"Thank you." Rachel accepted their congratulations with a sweet smile, "Yeah, Jess and Brittany talked about moving out because they want more space, and I'd kind of been thinking the same. So they pointed me to your old landlord, Quinn, and I spoke to him today."

"It's only short-term though," Sam hurried to add, "In the spirit of all this coupley-ness we all have going on-"

"Apart from Puck." Jess interjected.

"-apart from Puck-" Sam added, "We decided that we're going to be moving in together!" He announced with a grin, and the girls around the table all celebrated in their own way.

"We decided neither Sam's apartment or Quinn's would be big enough for the two of us, so I'm there short-term whilst we save up for a bond on a bigger apartment for the both of us. Somewhere hopefully with a dark room for Sam." She finished with a content smile, exchanging a smitten glance with the blonde boy beside her.

"Oh guys! You didn't tell us that!" Brittany's eyebrows rose in delight as she leaned forward to pull Rachel into a hug.

"I know, we wanted it to be a surprise." She shrugged as the blonde released her.

"I mean, obviously it's not happening _just _yet." Sam reasoned with a hint of disappointment, "But hopefully in the very near future."

Whilst Rachel broke the news that Sam had already confessed to Puck, the latter boy was situated at the bar beside a girl with long dark hair and deep brown eyes lidded by a thick, full fringe.

"Hi." He announced his presence with a shy smile, and she raised an eyebrow, turning as she realised he was talking to her, "I bet you wanna know what that song was about, huh?" He asked bashfully, but the girl shook her head.

"Not at all." She replied candidly, gazing at the drinks lined behind the bar.

"You see, I recently got my heart broken. She actually, uh," He averted his eyes solemnly, "She called out somebody else's name in bed." He confessed, but the girl interjected quickly.

"You were probably boring her."

"Actually, I think she might have been cheating on me." He shook his head earnestly and the girl rolled her eyes.

"Listen, I know exactly what you're doing here. Probably some stupid play where you get me to fall for your puppy-dog eyes and bad story and try to get me to go home with you. But it's not going to work like that because I actually have some intelligence and I see right through your Abercrombie pecs and bad 80s punk hairstyle." He raised his eyebrows higher and higher as she delivered her speech, before smirking as she finished.

"Okay, I will not deny that I want you to go home with you." He chuckled before pausing thoughtuflly, "Although, just for the record, the part about saying someone else's name was true."

"Good for you." She rolled her eyes.

"My name is Puck. And yes, I would like it if you came home with me tonight." He admitted, "But if it's not going to go down just like that, then I will prove it to you." He nodded, pointing a finger at the girl before turning and striding purposefully in the direction of the stage.

"Hey," Sam caught the group's attention, "Puck's back on the stage." He explained with a frown, and the girls turned to watch him as he stepped up to the mic again.

"Well hi there, I'm back." He greeted with a cheeky grin, "Jesus, people are gonna start thinking I'm part of the band. But _this_ song, is for that girl by the bar who hasnt told me her name yet."He pointed at the girl, who glared at him with her mouth hanging open slightly.

Puck reached for the acoustic guitar and swung the strap around his neck and shoulder, putting a hand to his ear between chords to get the crowd to join in with the opening lyrics.

"Ho! Hey! Ho! Hey!" He grinned in the girl's direction before opening his mouth to sing, "I've been trying to do it right, I've been living a lonely life. I've been sleeping here instead, I've been sleeping in my bed. Sleeping in my bed." The crowd cheered, "So show me family, and all the blood that I will bleed, I don't know where I belong." He looked humbled again, glancing over at the unimpressed girl once again, "I don't know where I went wrong, but I can write a song."

"I belong with you, you belong with me. You're my sweetheart. I belong with you," He pointed at the brunette, who rolled her eyes in turn, "You belong with my sweet."

"What is he doing?" Santana frowned as the mohawked boy continued on stage.

"I don't know. He pointed over there?" Brittany suggested, craning her neck to look over at the brunette by the bar, who was now shaking her head at Puck.

"There's a girl, do you think he's singing for her?" Jess asked with a shrug, and Quinn nodded.

"Probably." She agreed shrewdly.

"A new play, it would seem." Sam remarked, and Rachel nodded as Puck brought the song to a close.

He jumped down from the stage and purposefully made his way back to the bar, but the brunette met him halfway, not even acknowledging as they passed in the crowd. He strolled over and took up her seat, guarding her unattended drink as she spoke with the DJ.

Her music began to kick in, and Quinn nodded her head as she turned to watch girl's performance, "Jess, is that the girl?"

"That's her." She identified as the girl on stage opened her mouth to speak.

"My name is Summer, and this song is to get rid of the guy stalking my drink." She announced sweetly, before frowning suspiciously, "Also, I'd appreciate it if someone would keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't slip anything into my drink."

Murmured laughter travelled through the gathered crowd, but Puck laughed it off as people turned to stare at him, until Summer began to sing.

"Once upon a time, a few mistakes ago. I was in your sights, you got me alone. You found me, you found me, you found me-e-e-e-e. I guess you didn't care. And I guess I liked that." She shrugged sweetly with admission, "And when I fell hard you took a step back. Without me, without me, without me-e-e-e-e-ee. And he's long gone when he's next to me and I realize, the blame is on me." She glanced over at Puck before turning her attention back to the crowd as they joined in, "'Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in, so shame on me now. Flew me to places I'd never been, til you put me down, oh. I knew you were trouble when you walked in, so shame on me now. Flew me to places I'd never been." She glared over at Puck once again, "Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground. Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble. Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble."

"She seems smitten." Santana remarked dryly.

"Yeah, I wonder what message she's trying to send him?" Sam playfully questioned.

"She's doing a pretty good job of it." Rachel added, but Quinn shook her head,

"No, this is Puck we're talking about." She argued.

"It's not a message, it's a challenge." Brittany articulated perfectly as Summer finished her song. She stepped gracefully off the stage before sashaying back to the bar and picking up her drink from in front of Puck.

"Nice song." He complimented with an easy smile, and she rolled her eyes.

"Get the picture, Mr T." She levelled with him, "And get out of my seat."

"No, you see." He shook his head apologetically, "You've set the bar now." He shrugged before wandering past her with a mock-reluctant shrug. He stepped up onto the stage a moment later and Jess rolled her eyes as she noticed the boy once again speaking with the DJ.

"Oh, Jesus. It's like the duelling banjos in here." The other girls followed her gaze and Santana chuckled as Quinn sighed.

"So is it just those two now? I thought the band were coming on?"

"I'm sorry!" Puck called over the microphone, "I promise I will let somebody else have a go in just a few minutes. Until then, this one is for the brunette by the bar that I can't remember the name of." He winked in Summer's direction and she stared back stonily, looking bored.

The introduction began to play and Puck pulled the microphone out of its stand, "I asked her to stay, but she wouldn't listen. She left before I had the chance to say, oh, the words that were meant. The things that were broken, but now it's far too late she's gone away." He glanced in her direction before continuing, "Every night you cry yourself to sleep, thinking why does this happen to me? Why does every moment have to be so hard? Hard to believe that,

"It's not over tonight, just give me one more chance to make it right.," Puck clutched at his chest as he sang, "I may not make it through the night, I won't go home without you." He directed the last line in Summer's direction and she averted her eyes from his honest gaze.

"Jesus Christ." Santana deadpanned, "This is getting ridiculous."

"When is the band supposed to come on?" Rachel questioned, looking around the bar for a sign.

"I don't know but I don't think I've ever been to a karaoke bar with so few participants." Jess rolled her eyes.

"At least he's proving his dedication." Quinn shrugged, shaking her head.

"Okay, who wants another drink?" Sam asked, glancing around as everyone nodded.

"Hells yes." Santana's eyes widened incredulously, "I think it's time for shots."

"I agree." Brittany grimaced as Puck closed his eyes through the breakdown of the song, and Sam nodded before sliding out of the booth and heading in the direction of the bar.

Sam returned a few minutes later as Puck finished up the song, thanking the audience and jumping off the stage. This time he headed straight back to the table without even a glance in Summer's direction.

"Okay, we drink to…" Rachel hummed thoughtfully as Sam began passing drinks around the table, "Old friends," She nodded at Santana and Brittany while Puck and Sam fist-bumped, "new beginnings," Sam grinned, "happy birthdays," Santana did a little dance of celebration, "And…to…" She trailed off thoughtfully but Quinn shrugged, holding her shot glass aloft,

"To Puck getting laid!" She toasted and the group all repeated the toast in chorus before throwing the shots back and slamming the empty glasses on the table.

"Okay, it is _my_ birthday, and Puck has hogged the mic for way too long tonight." Santana glared playfully at him but he simply shrugged.

"A man's gotta do…" he trailed off as he gestured to his crotch and they scoffed with disgust as Santana rolled her eyes.

"Well good luck. For now, I'm off to gets my song on." She smiled sweetly and Quinn stood to let her out of the booth, pausing to pull the brunette into a quick kiss before she headed in the direction of the stage, giving Quinn's hand a quick squeeze as she did so.

After a brief conversation with the DJ she stepped up to the mic, clearing her throat quietly, "Hi, my name is Santana and tonight I will be playing _that _piano," She jerked a thumb over her shoulder, "And attempting to break up the monotony that has been my friend Puck attempting to sleep with a girl called Summer." The crowd laughed and Puck stretched up to wink at the girl by the bar, who shook her head with a sarcastic smile in return.

Santana took her seat at the piano and adjusted the mic in front of her before starting the introduction. It was a song Quinn had heard Santana humming under her breath, or singing disjointed fragments of whilst in the shower, but she'd never heard it like this.

"In the morning it comes, heaven sent a hurricane. Not a trace of the sun but I don't even run from rain." Santana was angled away from the booth, so that the blonde could only see the girl's side-profile as she sang, "Beating out of my chest, my heart is holding on to you. From the moment I knew, from the moment I knew."

Santana licked her lips and took a deep breath, gazing at the shiny surface of the piano as she played, "You are the air in my breath, filling up my love-soaked lungs. Such a beautiful mess; intertwined and overrun. Nothing better than this, oh, and then the storm can come. You feel just like the sun, just like the sun." The brunette's eyes fluttered closed as the music built into the chorus, her playing become more passionate.

"And if you say we'll be alright, I'm gonna trust you, babe, I'm gonna look in your eyes. And if you say we'll be alright, I'll follow you into the light." She glanced across to the booth, sending Quinn a small smile during the instrumental, before turning back to the keys with a steely breath.

"Never mind what I knew, nothing seems to matter now. Ooh, who I was without you, I can do without." Santana's eyebrows raised as she sang the next lines, a small knowing smile playing around her lips, "No one knows where it ends, how it may come tumbling down. But I'm here with you now. I'm with you now."

She sang the chorus with aplomb and Quinn admired how good she sounded. Without the backing track, there was nothing to detract from Santana's voice perfectly mingling with her treatment of the piano keys, and there was a raw, acoustic sound to the number which gave Quinn a sense of ease as Santana build the music louder again, closing her eyes for the bridge, "Let the world come rush in, come down hard, come crushing. All I need, is right here beside me. I'm not enough, I swear it. But take my love and and wear it over your shoulders."

The music slowed for the final chorus, and Santana opened her eyes once again, glancing around the crowded bar with a small smile before meeting Quinn's gaze, her cheeks flushing slightly under the girl's scrutiny. She brought the song to a close before nodding her head and offering a small thank-you into the mic, and shuffled off the piano stool to re-join the group, her head hanging bashfully.

"That was awesome, San." Brittany grinned as Quinn took Santana's hand silently.

"Thanks, Britt." The brunette smiled as the girls nodded along.

"Yeah," Rachel agreed, "I love how your voice sounded all raspy, it sounded awesome with just the piano."

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Quinn added quietly, giving Santana's hand a squeeze as she wrapped her arms around the girl's. Santana grinned down at her before reaching for a swig of her drink.

"I thought I'd attempt to slow down the Suck-Fest." She glared at Puck, who rolled his eyes as Sam giggled.

"Hey, I get it!" He nodded with a grin, pointing at Santana, who raised an eyebrow uncomprehendingly. "You know?" He continued, glancing around at the girls' clueless faces, "Summer. And Puck. Suck."

Quinn shook her head slowly as Jess rolled her eyes. Brittany nodded with a grin of realisation and Rachel patted Sam's arm patronizingly.

"Dude, grow a pair." Puck commanded and Sam's brow furrowed sulkily.

"Okay, I wanna dance!" Brittany cheered, throwing her arms up in the air before taking Jess' hand and pulling her out of the booth, "Who's coming?"

"I'm in." Quinn grinned and Santana made to her feet, picking up her empty drink in the process.

"Oh man, I'm gonna go to the bar first, see you on the dance floor!" She made to move but Puck had climbed to his feet and placed his hand on the small of her back guiding her back towards Quinn.

"Don't worry, I'll go." He said it genuinely, but snuck Santana a quick wink before making his way back to the girl at the bar.

The three couples made their way onto the dance floor as the band filed out onto the stage, greeting the crowd before striking up their first song. Puck returned a few minutes later and handed out drinks from a tray before taking his beer and re-joining the girl, who sighed heavily as he reappeared.

"Why won't you get the message and go away?" She groaned, screwing one eye closed in a grimace.

"Because!" He shrugged with a small smile, "You've looked miserable all night apart from when you've been singing, or insulting me." He raised a smug eyebrow and Summer shrugged.

"Well, sometimes after a long day it's nice to sit back and relax with an easy target. I enjoy the smugness of basking in the under-classes like you."

He raised his eyebrows cheekily, "I'll bask in your under-"

"Too much." She cut him off swiftly and he grinned, rolling his eyes as he took another swig of his drink and rested an elbow on the bar beside her. "Oh Jesus, don't get comfortable." She shook her head, "It's hard enough to get of you as it is without you drunkenly hanging off the bar."

"You see? This is what girls like about me. I'm incorrigible." He spread his arms in a wide shrug and she raised her eyes to the heavens.

"No, you're annoying. You _think _you're cute and incorrigible and well, yeah, God loves a trier." She shrugged and he nodded triumphantly, but her face immediately dropped, "Sadly, I don't."

"So what do you?" Puck asked outright.

"I'm an intern at Vogue." She replied proudly and he nodded slowly, knowingly.

"Well I suppose maybe I'll see you there." He raised an eyebrow and she stared at him blankly.

"Just so you know, this is my polite face. If I didn't have such incredible self-control I'd look like this." Her face contorted in a look of horror, her eyes wide and lips pulled back over her teeth, and Puck chortled, "Why might I see you? I, frankly, never want to see you again." She shook her head, "I never actually wanted to see you in the first place!" She added thoughtfully, and Puck sniggered.

"I'm actually an underwear model." He replied, attempting to sound bashful.

"Oh God, it's disgusting how proud of that you are." She shook her head in wonder and he nodded self-deprecatingly.

"I really am. But you'd be proud if you had abs like mine." He boasted and she rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me? I work for Vogue." She replied bluntly, "Do you have any idea how competitive it is there? If you weight more than your handbag you're classed as obese. I have amazing abs."

"Show me!" He challenged, catching the hem of his shirt in his fingers, ready to lift his shirt and prove her wrong.

"Buy me a drink!" She shot back with a frown, and he rolled his eyes before catching the bartenders attention and pointing to her empty glass.

"Oh God, what even is this?" Santana wondered incredulously as she looked over to the bar, where Puck and the girl he'd been talking to had both lifted their shirts and were stood hip-to-hip and pointing at each other's abs.

Quinn followed the girl's gaze before bursting out laughing and leaning over to give Sam a small shove, "Puck has outdone himself on the weird ways to pick up girls!" She chuckled as Sam shook his head, his mouth hanging open.

"Wow." He said before turning back to Rachel, still shaking his head.

Santana and Quinn paired up again to continue dancing as the band started up another song.

-oOo-

Around 2am, one of Santana's eyes was closing as she yawned loudly, stretching out her limbs as the girls slumped back into the booth.

"I am so beat." Brittany deadpanned as she stared blankly at the table-top, nursing a half-empty glass of a stale, bright-blue liquid.

"I know right?" Jess laughed loudly, taking another swig of her beer.

"I am so tired." Sam announced, looking wired. Rachel was slumped against him, both eyes closed.

"I think if I close one eye…I can see better." Santana realized, opening and closing each of her eyes in turn.

"I think it's time to go home." Quinn announced, and the group nodded in unison. "Where's Puck? Has anyone kept tabs on him?"

"My one eye saw him leave with that girl like ten minutes ago." Santana informed them and Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Figures. Okay, in that case, we leave one man behind." She finished her drink as the others stood up, collecting their jackets and light coats.

"Looks like Puck doesn't get any pancakes." Sam sniggered, "More for me." He grinned, dancing playfully.

"I guess so." Rachel nodded. They had all agreed earlier in the week that they were to stay over at Jess, Brittany and Rachel's apartment, and the next day Rachel would make breakfast for the gang. Quinn had already bribed Jess into stocking the fridge full of bacon. Rachel may be unwilling to touch the meat, but she would happily prepare her own fried pig.

The group filed out of the bar and huddled in the entrance, frowning at the ground in front of them.

"Fuck." Rachel complained, rather out of character, as they watched the rain bouncing off the sidewalk in front of them.

Santana inhaled deeply through her nose. Even in New York, summer rain smelt good. The day had felt humid and stifling, and the rain felt fresh in the warm air. She sighed contentedly as Quinn took her hand, linking their fingers.

"Okay, let's just bite the bullet." She stated begrudgingly before they traipsed out into the rain.

"My hair is going to be ruined." Rachel groaned, and Brittany raised an eyebrow.

"Rachel, it's 2am. Who is going to see you?" She wound an arm around Jess' neck and ducked her head against the rain.

"I don't know, people get scouted in the most unlikely of places." Rachel shrugged and Jess rolled her eyes.

"I have never heard of anyone being scouted at 2am, stinking drunk and in the rain."

Quinn and Santana followed silently behind the bickering group, strolling slowly through the streets. A movement in an alley caught Santana's eye and she jumped, startled for a second until she recognised a familiar mohawk. He was stood in the shadows, toned legs wrapped around his waist with a brunette girl pinned to the wall as rain cascaded over his shoulders. Santana rolled her eyes with a wry smile.

_To Puck getting laid._

They arrived at the girls' apartment a few minutes later, and Santana was relieved to see the girls had already laid out a mattress, pillows and bedcover in the middle of the living room. There were also sheets and pillows laid over the couch, undoubtedly where Puck was intended to sleep. Quinn walked straight to the edge of the mattress, throwing herself face-down onto the Lion King bedspread with a soft thump. Santana chuckled, following Jess and Brittany to the kitchen to pour herself a huge glass of water. Her mouth had felt like the Sahara for the last ten minutes, and the room was starting to spin slowly. Brittany poured herself a night-cap whilst Jess raided the fridge and cupboards, eventually settling for a pack of cookies, which she annihilated in minutes.

Rachel had headed down the hall while Sam used the bathroom, returning a few moments later with six pairs of pyjamas. She tossed them round to everyone, and Santana scowled as she caught hers.

"Hello Kitty shorts? Really?" She raised an eyebrow but Rachel shrugged.

"I'm sorry, they're Brittany's. I figured it would be a warm night so you'd want shorts; you always get hot in summer." She replied knowingly, and Santana furrowed her brows in concern at how well the girl knew her.

"Thank you. But now that it's raining, could I have some pyjamas with more material and less creepy Japanese cats?" Santana attempted to thrust the pyjama bottoms back at her but Rachel shook her head.

"Oh get over it. They're cute! Just wear them." Brittany scoffed.

"She'll have to." Rachel added, "Your others are in the laundry." She nodded to Brittany before turning back to Santana, "Mine certainly won't fit you." She told her matter-of-factly, and Santana grimaced as Quinn joined them in the kitchen, holding the pyjamas Rachel had thrown on top of her while she was laid down.

"What?" Santana frowned incredulously, "Your others are in the _laundry_? What, do you have like three pairs of pyjamas?"

"I don't usually wear them." Brittany whispered sweetly, a devilish twinkle to her eye.

"Too much." Quinn shook her head as she accepted a glass of water from Jess.

"I bet_ you_ didn't get stupid pyjamas?" Santana raised her eyebrows at Quinn, who shrugged.

"I got Jess'. They're striped." She replied, care-free.

"You're welcome." Jess added smugly as Santana huffed. She wandered into the living room to change into the short shorts, Quinn following behind shortly.

"Ugh, I am _so _tired." The blonde groaned, perching on the end of the couch to pull the long pyjama bottoms on as Santana peeled her top over her head, quickly replacing it with a plain white tshirt as Quinn wiggled her eyebrows at the girl's exposed skin.

"Me too, but my head is racing from tonight." Santana shook her head, "And I can constantly hear this loud high-pitched ringing in my ears." She placed the tip of her finger in her ear and wiggled it violently before removing it with a defeated sigh, "Jesus, it's like Berry is living in my ear-drum."

"I heard that!" Rachel shouted protestations, emerging in her pyjamas with a large mug of hot chocolate. Jess and Brittany followed behind her, hands clasped, as Sam rounded the corner from the bathroom, clad in long Superman bottoms. He gave a huge stretch and a loud yawn before slumping down on the sofa as the other three girls stood behind it. Rachel reached out to ruffle the blonde boy's hair, bending over to kiss the top of his head, "Bed time, sweetie?" He dropped his head back onto the sofa to look up at her, nodding with a self-pitying pout.

Jess tugged on Brittany's arm, and the blonde turned her head to Jess, who nodded, "Yeah, we're gonna go to bed, too." She smiled shiftily before releasing Brittany's hand, turning her back and heading down the hallway. Waiting until she was out of sight, Jess turn around once again to raise her eyebrows at Brittany, walking backwards as she stripped off her t-shirt to reveal her bare body, smiling sweetly and retreating into their bedroom.

"Night, guys!" Brittany grinned before hurrying down the hallway after the small brunette. The door thudded closed a second later, and the remaining four paused awkwardly for a second before Rachel took a deep breath, "Okay so…we'll leave you two alone then. Good night." She spoke loudly, attempting to drown out the sound of Jess and Brittany bouncing off walls.

"See you in the morning." Sam wrapped an arm around Quinn's shoulders to pull her into a sloppy hug before forcing himself off the couch with another yawn, padding down the hallway with Rachel in tow.

The girls called their goodnights, and Quinn quickly burrowed under the covers as Santana jogged across the room in her bare feet, flicking the light switch and delicately guessing her way back to the mattress. She slid herself in beside Quinn with a content sigh, and the blonde immediately found her hand under the covers. They were laid facing each other as the rain pattered down the windows, the shadows of the trails visible through the thin blinds. Santana's teeth chattered as she snuggled herself lower down the bed for warmth.

"Are you cold?" Quinn whispered, "Your hand is freezing."

Santana nodded, "Yeah, but I can feel myself warming up."

She shrugged as Quinn lifted her hand up the bed, taking her other hand and following suit. She placed Santana's palms on her cheeks, covering her hands with her own, "Better?" She whispered, almost silently, and Santana swallowed hard, realising how close the girl was laid.

She nodded silently, her heart thumping against her chest as she closed her eyes, breathing in the familiar scent with a small smile. "I love you." She breathed, and felt Quinn grin.

"I love you, too."

"Good." Santana smiled again and they fell into silence for a few minutes, their breathing the only audible sounds in the apartment.

"I love this weather." Quinn announced suddenly, and Santana raised an eyebrow, opening her eyes to make out the silhouette of the blonde beside her.

"Oh, yeah? How come?" Santana enquired, her eyes adjusting to the darkness.

Quinn shrugged with a small smile, "I don't know. I like how it sounds. It's peaceful. I like the smell-"

"I was totally thinking that earlier!" Santana interjected in a whisper, and Quinn giggled before continuing,

"Yeah, I like looking at the windows and watching raindrops run down them, chasing patterns." She finished uneasily with a small shrug, and Santana pulled her hands away from the blonde's face, "Are you okay?"

"Yup. Roll over." Santana ordered, and Quinn frowned.

"Why? Are you okay?"

"Yes." The brunette answered simply, leaning forwards slightly to place a small kiss on the end of Quinn's nose, "Roll over so you can see the window. I'll spoon you."

Quinn bit her lip for a second before grinning, "Okay!" She whispered happily, turning over and lifting her head. Santana slid her arm under the girl's neck before pulling her close so her back was flush against Santana's body.

"Better?" She asked, and Quinn nodded, pulling Santana's arm around her body.

"Perfect."

Santana shifted so she could see the windows over the blonde's head, placing an absent-minded kiss on the girl's head as she watched the rain running down the window panes. The thin blinds gave the room a blue tinge, and Santana smiled happily as she yawned, allowing her eyes to drop closed with another deep inhale of Quinn's perfume.

"Did you have a nice birthday?" Quinn asked through a large yawn, fighting to keep her own eyes open as she felt Santana nodding behind her.

"The best." She nodded, stifling a yawn, "Goodnight, beautiful. I love you."

"I love you, too." Quinn grinned, shuddering with a small giggle.

"What was that?" Santana chuckled as the blonde settled herself once again.

"Sorry, I got a little over-excited." She shrugged, "I love you, too."

"Good." Santana grinned, "Night night."

"Good night."

She let her eyes close once and for all, holding Quinn a little tighter against her as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>In case anyone is interested, these arae the songs used in this chapter.<strong>

**Quinn sang: It's All About You - McFly**  
><strong>Puck sang:<strong>  
><strong>- Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Buble<strong>  
><strong>- Ho Hey - The Lumineers<strong>  
><strong>- Won't Go Home Without You - Maroon 5<strong>  
><strong>Summer sang: I Knew You Were Trouble - Taylor Swift<strong>  
><strong>Santana sang: The Light - Sara Barielles<strong>

**Thank you for reading! :D**


	52. The Morning After The Night Before

Santana grunted as a quiet knocking noise reverberated through the living room.

"Uuuugh." She groaned as the tapping became slightly louder. She prised herself off of Quinn, rolling on to her back and easing her eyes open with a scowl. The knocking continued and she lifted her head off the pillow to decipher which direction the noise was coming from. Turning her head from side to side, she stopped suddenly to glare at the front door.

"Whatthefuck?" She croaked, swallowing over and over in an attempt to moisten her mouth as the room spun around her. She scrambled beside the mattress to find her phone, lighting up the screen to find it was 4am. She pushed herself into a sitting position as the knocking sped up slightly, clambering to her feet begrudgingly to tip-toe across the room. She held one eye to the peephole, swaying slightly as she attempted to focus, seeing Puck leaning against the doorframe in the dimly lit hallway, carrying his bundled up jacket in his hands. She unhooked the chain before unlocking the door and pulling it open to allow the boy entry.

"I hate you." She hissed, glaring at him as he staggered through the door looking pleased with himself, "What are you doing here?"

"Well I couldn't stay over!" He defended, holding his hands out in a sloppy shrug. "Nice shorts." He winked, and she rolled her eyes as she locked the door once again.

"Ugh. It's four am! And why are you soaking wet?" She hissed, and Puck grimaced.

"I couldn't put my jacket on." He held it up in front of her, and Santana saw that the fabric and lining were ripped in various places.

"What the hell happened?" She whispered incredulously, staring at Puck with eyes as wide as she could manage in her sleep-deprived state.

"She ripped it!" Puck replied with a huge grin, his eyes shining with excitement.

"Ugh. Good for you." Santana rolled her eyes before turning on her heel, "Okay. I haven't had nearly enough sleep. I understand you're proud of your little conquest but if _one more word_ comes out of your mouth I will strangle you with your own _reel _of condoms!" She glared at him as he held his hands up in defence before resuming her place on the mattress. She jabbed a finger at the couch, "Blankets. Sleep." She sent him another glare before laying back down with a yawn, grateful that Puck settled himself on the sofa in almost complete silence.

-oOo-

A loud, shrill scream echoed through the apartment, and Santana immediately sat bolt upright in bed.

"What? What's happen? Rachel?" She rubbed her eyes and turned her head in the direction of the bedrooms after seeing the sofa unattended.

"Oh my God, Puck!" The small brunette shrieked.

Rachel had exited her bedroom, padding down the hall with her eyes closed in a groggy, half-awake state. Puck had been using the bathroom, and the clueless brunette had collided face-first with the boy's huge, bare chest, which she was now slapping angrily as he attempted to defend himself.

"You scared me half to _death! _I thought you went home with that girl!" She relented her attack, clutching her chest dramatically as Puck rubbed at his chest.

"Well I didn't wanna stay over! And I didn't wanna miss pancakes! Geez." He backed away from her cautiously as a large red patch spread across the skin. "You're vicious for a little thing."

"Sorry, I just didn't know you were here." She replied, all animosity gone.

Santana watched the exchange angrily through lidded eyes.

"It's alright. Just didn't wanna miss the morning-after pancake party." He laughed, and Rachel shrugged.

"I'm not surprised, my pancakes have been described as 'heavenly'. So are you done in the bathroom?" She smiled brightly and Puck nodded, gesturing for her to go ahead.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" Santana roared from the living room floor, and Quinn stirred behind her, rolling over and snuggling back under the edge of the cover. Rachel jumped, taking a step back from the bathroom doorway to frown at Santana, and Puck stared at her, his eyebrows raised as he lay out on the couch.

"I repeat." Santana glared at the two of them, dropping her voice to a deathly hiss, "Are you fucking kidding me?" She scrambled for her phone, "It is EIGHT. AM."

Brittany and Jess' door opened and the blonde stuck her head round the door with a yawn. "What's going on?" She frowned sleepily, and Rachel turned to look at her.

"I have no idea!" She shook her head, shrugging defensively.

"Maybe the meds have finally done her in!" Jess called from inside the bedroom.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?" Santana screamed again, "I get up at four am to let _you_ in." She jabbed a finger in Puck's direction, "Only to have you snore for at least three hours. And then I'm once again _rudely_ awoken, at _eight am _to the sound of Berry" She pointed accusingly at Rachel, who took a step back instinctively, "squealing like she's been _shot!_ Because _you_ scared the shit out of her." She glared at Puck once again, punching the pillow beneath her into shape before dropping her head back down onto it with a loud sigh. "Ugh! This is the worst night's sleep I have e_ver _had." She stared despairingly at the ceiling, and Jess appeared silently behind Brittany to watch the scene unfold.

"Sorry, San." Puck spoke quietly and sheepishly, and she lifted her head off the pillow to glare at him. The boy reached into the pocket of jeans and offered a half-full flask across to her, "Whiskey?" He smiled sweetly but her glare remained impassive.

"Get me an aspirin." She snapped scathingly, and Puck nodded obediently before pushing himself off the sofa to go root through the kitchen.

"Do you mind if I just…" Rachel gestured to the bathroom and Santana glared at her in turn before laying back down as the tiny brunette scuttled into the bathroom.

"Okay, I'm going back to bed." Brittany announced, turning on her heel and picking Jess up off the floor easily, carrying her back into the bedroom, as Jess glanced around, bewildered, but making no protestations.

Santana sighed heavily, turning to look at Quinn, who still lay completely unassuming in her slumber. Puck returned with a glass of water and a couple of pills, and Santana swallowed them quickly before thanking the boy, who accepted it with a nod. She lay back down with a yawn, and Puck took up his place on the sofa again, and soon both were snoring gently.

-oOo-

"Santaaaaanaaaaa…." Jess sing-songed, gawping at the sleeping brunette as she waved a plate of pancakes in front of her, "Santanaaaaaa!" She repeated in a low roar this time. "Hey! Sanny Sanny Sanny!" She hollered, and the brunette began to stir. She was sat on the mattress between the two girls, her pyjama-clad legs crossed in front of her.

"Hey, Quinn." Sam kicked the sleeping blonde in the hip. "Get up." He ordered before picking a piece of bacon off her plate and popping it in his mouth, depositing the plate on her stomach and retreating back into the kitchen in his tshirt and brightly coloured boardshorts. Jess rolled her eyes at the boy, picking a piece of bacon off Santana's plate and depositing it on Quinn's before moving the plate onto the floor.

Quinn rubbed her eyes slowly before pushing herself into a sitting position and picking up the plate beside her with a yawn. She looked over the plate with delight, before frowning suddenly, "Hey, who did the bacon? I was gonna do it."

She craned her neck to raise an eyebrow at Rachel, but it was Puck who raised his hand, "You've been sleeping soundly all night and I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted me some bacon."

"I thought you were Jewish." Brittany pointed out as she moved the sheets off the couch and took a seat.

"I am." Puck shrugged, "I'm just not…_that _Jewish." He grinned cheekily before perching on the sofa to eat his pancakes.

By this time Santana had struggled to sit upright, receiving a peck on the cheek from Quinn and begrudgingly accepting her plate from Jess, and the three girls were all tucking in to their breakfast on the mattress as Rachel and Sam joined the group in the living room.

"Well, thanks either way, Puck." Quinn smiled, "How come you're here anyway?"

"What? Jess frowned, "Didn't you hear Rachel earlier? Or did Santana's shrieking drown it out?" She rolled her eyes at the brunette, who glared warningly as Quinn frowned.

"Shrieking? What are you talking about?" She asked through a mouthful of pancake, and Jess' jaw dropped.

"Hold on, did you sleep through everything this morning?" Brittany asked incredulously, and the smaller blonde shrugged.

"I guess so." She answered brightly. "Why?"

The group stared at her incredulously, and Quinn glanced cluelessly round at them before her gaze fell on Santana, who was staring blankly back at her.

"Nothing. There was just…a little…scuffle, this morning." Rachel shrugged it off and Quinn nodded.

"Oh, I had no idea. Yeah, I had a great sleep." She smiled brightly and Santana stopped eating altogether. Jess tried to stifle a giggle at the look of pure tolerance on Santana's face, while Puck averted his eyes, staring intently down at his pancakes. "I don't think I've ever slept so soundly on a floor before." Quinn continued, oblivious to her girlfriend's struggle to keep control. "Yeah, it was kind of nice actually, I don't even feel hungover at all."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Santana shouted, throwing her hands up in exasperation, and Jess snorted, instantly coughing loudly as she accidentally swallowed her mouthful. Rachel and Puck sniggered guiltily as Brittany giggled happily and Sam smirked. Santana rolled her eyes and Quinn raised her eyebrows cluelessly.

"Anyway!" Brittany caught their attention with a shrug, "What are you doing here?" She asked Puck, "I thought you'd still be ass-deep in-"

"Brittany." Rachel cut her off as Puck snorted with laughter.

"Yeah, I would be but you know…" He shrugged boastfully, "I didn't want her to think I was sticking around or anything." He raised an eyebrow cockily, but Sam narrowed his eyes.

"What? You always stay over." He frowned, "You told me you figured it was safer to stick around and then never call."

"Yeah." Jess agreed, "I thought it was safer to leave in the morning than get caught sneaking out?"

Puck shrugged, "Well I like to mix it up, you know."

Quinn raised a sceptical eyebrow, "She wouldn't let you stay, would she?" she asked insightfully, but Puck scoffed.

"What are you talking about? I didn't _try _to stay." He shook his head but Santana frowned.

"Actually, I let you in at like 4am. If you weren't going to stay over, you'd have just left her in the alley,"

"Like the classy man you are." Jess interjected.

"What alley?" Rachel frowned.

"Puck had sex in an alley." Santana filled them in, "So why did it take you so long to get here?"

"We went back to her place. I did my business there, too." He answered smugly, raising his hand for a high-five that was ignored.

"But why would you go back to her place if you knew you'd just have to risk sneaking out?" Rachel asked with a frown, and Puck sighed, rolling his eyes as he finished his breakfast.

"I don't know! I was drunk. I like a challenge." He shrugged and pushed himself off the sofa to deposit his plate in the kitchen, the others watching him sceptically.

"So did you get her number?" Brittany called.

"Nope." Puck replied as he re-entered the room.

"Did you ask for it?" Santana asked cheekily, and he rolled his eyes.

"What is wrong with you people?" He asked incredulously, shaking his head as he sat down again.

"What is wrong with _you_?" Sam shot back, "You're the one who's all gooey eyed." He pointed out, but Puck frowned.

"I am not. I'm trying to defend myself against this ridiculous barrage of accusations!"

"Jesus, what's with the long words?" Santana scowled, "You sound like Berry. And I'm too hungover for anything to sound like berry." She paused thoughtfully, "Including Berry."

"You like her." Jess sing-songed playfully at Puck.

"No. I don't." Puck answered plainly, his jaw tensed.

"Whatever." She shrugged.

"So she wouldn't give you her number either, huh?" Sam tilted his head sympathetically, and Puck sighed heavily.

"No, I-" he was interrupted by a buzzing from his pocket, and he pulled his phone out with an exasperated sigh.

"Who's that?" Santana asked boldly, but the boy frowned.

"Noone."

"Get it!" Jess shouted. They deposited their plates on the floor and Brittany immediately swung a leg over Puck's lap, grabbing one of his arms to pin him down. Sam jumped up and grabbed the other arm, prizing his fingers apart whilst Santana moved to sit across the boy's feet to stop him from kicking. Rachel pulled the phone from Puck's fingers as he shouted accusations and protestations, throwing the phone to Quinn on the other side of the room, who caught it deftly. She turned it in her hands before holding it aloft triumphantly.

"Summer!" She shouted, and the others released their grip to celebrate, teasing Puck and laughing triumphantly as the boy sighed heavily.

"What does it say?" Brittany enquired, but Quinn shook her head.

"I think we've made our point, there's no need to break any amendments or anything." She tossed the phone back to Puck who checked the text with a begrudging glare.

"I don't think that's a real amendment." Santana observed with a frown.

"Whatever, I don't particularly want to read all about Puck's disgusting sexcapades." The blonde replied as Rachel began collecting empty plates.

"I like how Puck didn't get _her_ number…but _she_ got Puck's." Jess pointed out smugly, her eyesbrows raised, impressed.

"Awh," Brittany tilted her head sympathetically, "Did she keep your panties, too?" she teased, poking Puck in the leg with her toe.

-oOo-

"I'm glad it's nice out again." Quinn smiled as they left the girls' apartment block, still dressed in their outfits from the previous night.

Santana nodded, swinging her bag of presents from one hand, clasping Quinn's in the other. "Yeah," She agreed, before frowning down at her clothes, "Huh. I don't think I've ever done a walk of shame as part of a duo." She pointed out with a wry smile, and Quinn shrugged.

"I don't think I've ever done a walk of shame." She frowned thoughfully, and Santana glanced around shiftily, giving a small cough.

"Yeah. Me neither. You wanna sneak in to the bakery and make smoothies?" She changed the subject quickly and Quinn rolled her eyes.

"I don't think it's sneaking in if you have the keys." She pondered, "Plus I feel like I want something less healthy. Why don't we get froyo instead?"

"Okay, as long as it's cold and in my mouth." Santana shrugged, earning a look of horrified bewilderment off a mother with two children beside her. She grimaced, turning back to Quinn awkwardly, "So anyway, what do you feel like doing today?"

Quinn curled her lip thoughtfully with a sigh, "I have no idea." She huffed

"Feel like opening all the windows in the apartment and spending the day drinking cocktails and playing xbox?" Santana grinned hopefully but the blonde grimaced, lifting a hand to her stomach.

"I don't think I can take cocktails." She shook her head and Santana's mouth twisted thoughtfully.

"More froyo?"

"Okay!" Quinn grinned, "Ooh, this reminds me; have you ever been up on the roof?" She asked, tilting her head to the brunette, who shrugged.

"Um, once or twice when I moved in…not recently? Why?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I was just wondering what it was like up there. Maybe we could buy a couple of chairs and sit out?" Quinn raised her eyebrows, "We could always check it out?"

Santana nodded as she pushed open the door to their apartment building, "Sounds good, no harm in looking. Wanna take the lift straight up there before we head home?"

"Umm…" Quinn frowned at the stairs before turning back to the lift with a reluctant sigh, "Okay." She grunted, "Hang on though." She grimaced, prising her shoes off as Santana jabbed the elevator button. She hooked the shoes over her fingers and padded into the elevator in her socks once the doors had slid open.

Santana pushed the button for the top floor before pouting, groaning loudly and curling herself around Quinn, burying her face in the blonde's shoulder and wrapping her arms tightly around her waist. "Quinn, my head hurts."

"I know, sweetie." She stroked the brunette's hair before placing a small kiss on the top of her head, "We'll check out the roof, get you more pills and then hopefully go enjoy the sunshine. Okay?" She smiled sweetly and Santana pulled back with a nod as the lift ground to a halt.

The doors opened on the top floor and Quinn frowned around for a second before Santana jerked her head towards the end of the corridor and the door to the roof. She took the blonde's hand and led her along the hall and up the stairs. She pushed the heavy door at the top of the stairs and sunlight spilled into the dim stairwell. They stepped out into the open air and the girls' jaws dropped as they gazed around. Most of the roof was open terrace, whilst parts were sectioned off by walls and fences, with small gardens beyond.

"Huh." Santana's eyebrows raised as she gazed around, and a slow smile spread across Quinn's face.

"Wow. Who'd have thought something like this existed above _our _apartment building?" She wondered incredulously, and Santana nodded.

"I know, right? Last time I was up here there was nothing but a cracked bath-tub and a greenhouse full of weed." She stared around incredulously, but Quinn frowned.

"No, wait…" She squinted at the furthest corner of the roof, "I think there's still a greenhouse full of weed." She grimaced at Santana before turning back to the pretty gardens.

"Yeah, we'll just stay away from that corner and deny all knowledge should the NYPD ever come round. Or we could invite the hobbit over to do some gardening, it might un-twist her panties." Santana snorted, "So you think we could bring a couple of chairs up here or something? Looks like some people own bits of it but the patio seems free game?"

"Looks good to me, we'll catch some rays, we could even have dinner out here later. But first I need a shower." Quinn pouted and Santana nodded with a scowl.

"Me too." Santana nodded, immediately regretting it as she clutched her forehead, "And possibly a lethal injection."

They filed back down the stairs and returned to their own apartment, proud of their new find.

-oOo-

"Hey, San?" Quinn called round the open door to the bathroom.

"Uh huh?" The brunette broke off from her singing to listen to Quinn from behind the shower curtain.

"You know we were talking about buying chairs for the roof?" She asked over the sound of the pattering water, entering the bathroom and closing the toilet lid to take a seat.

"Yuh-huh." Santana nodded, despite not being visible to Quinn.

"I was thinking, if we get them in time for next week, and maybe a table, too, we could have a barbeque for my birthday?"

Santana's head immediately poked around the edge of the shower curtain, her hair lathered and styled into a bizarrely long, spikey style, "You don't want to go out?" She asked, a slight frown on her face.

Quinn groaned with a small chuckle, "After last night, I don't want to go out _ever again_." She shrugged, "Okay that's not at all true, but I think it would be nice to invite everyone over and make use of having a summer birthday, and _apparently_ a roof top terrace!" She gestured upwards, glancing up at the ceiling, "And we can get some drinks, put up some fairy lights, eat some barbeque food. Puck and Sam would go all macho and do the meat, get Rachel to make that nice Greek salad thing. Jess can make cocktails. We wouldn't even need to do anything."

Santana listened with interest, one eyebrow slowly lifting as the blonde spoke, "A birthday party where all we have to do is buy garden chairs and fairy lights?" She looked thoughtful, "Sounds perfect."

"So can I go in the shower yet or do you need another round of lathering and another chorus of Strangers in the Night?" Quinn raised her eyebrows at the brunette, who narrowed her eyes warningly.

"I'm almost finished." She paused thoughtfully, "Unless you'd like to join me?" She winked, wiggling her eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"I thought you had a headache?" Quinn asked, looking sceptical.

Santana shrugged, her face serious, "Sex is the best medicine."

-oOo-

A few hours later and Quinn was laid width-ways across the bed, her head lolling over the edge with her legs intertwined with Santana's while the brunette laid back on the pillows. The air was stifling and muggy, despite the open window behind the bed.

"So this day went a little awry." She observed, staring at the upside-down wall opposite her.

"Yeah," Santana nodded with a shrug, "Who needs a roof terrace when you have," She paused to gaze around the room thoughtfully, "everywhere in an apartment? Plus, my headache is gone." She grinned triumphantly and Quinn snorted, pulling herself up into a sitting position with a groan,

"I think I still wouldn't say no to the roof terrace." She sat crossed legged, fanning her flushed face with her hand, "It'll be nice to sit out there. And maybe we could even see about getting one of those little plots all to ourselves. We could…grow…stuff." She trailed off, shrugging with a clueless grimace.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Santana raised an eyebrow wickedly, but Quinn raised her eyes to the heavens.

"Are you thinking about the greenhouse full of weed?" She asked knowingly, and Santana looked awkward.

"…_No_." She scoffed, "But…I _can_ think of _other_ stuff we could do up there." Santana grinned hopefully, and Quinn smirked before giving a small sigh.

"Can I at least get some Thai food or something first?" The blonde groaned, "Do we have any leftovers in the freezer?"

"I don't think so. There might be some leftover enchiladas in the fridge?" Santana's lip curled as her brow furrowed in thought.

Quinn scrambled out of the covers, searching around the bed for her boy-shorts as Santana yawned contentedly. "Um, I'll have a look?" Quinn frowned, "But didn't we have enchiladas like four days ago?"

"Hey, I didn't say they were _edible, _I said they were in the fridge." Santana corrected, raising her eyebrows defensively. She watched Quinn's retreating back wander down the hallway, smiling to herself.

"These are _not edible!_" Quinn shouted from the kitchen, her voice dripping with disgust. Santana shortly heard a muffled clang and the bin lid being pushed closed, before Quinn reappeared in the hallway.

"I got a banana." She sighed, resuming her place on the bed.

"There was nothing better than a banana?" Santana asked disappointedly.

"Nope." The blonde shrugged, "I figured better to get a banana than food poisoning."

Santana nodded, "Good call."


	53. Furniture Land

**Okay, hello! I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone who leaves me such lovely reviews! And everyone else who doesn't review, to be fair. I've had some really sweet messages and reviews recently so please keep them coming, it's always nice to know which bits people like!**

**Thank you all for reading, as always, you are all wonderful people!**

* * *

><p>"Ugh!" Santana roared through the apartment, and Quinn immediately stuck her head around the kitchen doorway with a curious frown as pancakes sizzled on the stove. "I am so hot!"<p>

"I know!" The blonde called back, still frowning, "There's no need to brag?"

Santana wandered through to the kitchen with a heavy scowl, pulling a thin tshirt over her head as Quinn turned back to the pancakes. "I had a shower like ten minutes ago and I'm already sweaty!" She held her hands up in frustration, her fingers curled into claws, and Quinn sniggered, shifting the pancake around the pan to flip it over.

"I know. Maybe we should think about installing air conditioning?" The blonde mumbled absent-mindedly, and Santana's lip curled.

"Ugh, and how much will that cost?" She hoisted herself onto the counter, smiling momentarily as Quinn passed a pancake onto a plate and handed it over to her.

"I have absolutely no idea. Maybe we should just get a fan?" She shrugged as she poured the batter into the pan once again.

"Better plan." Santana nodded, pouring syrup all over her pancake.

"Okay, I spoke to Rachel while you were in the shower." Quinn pointed to her with the end of her fork and Santana frowned, her eyes wide. "She said Jess _is_ bringing cocktails, Brittany is organising my cake for dessert, she's going to make her salad, as always, _and _is also going to bring cous cous and potato salad. And her own vegan burgers-"

"Ew, no!" Santana grimaced through a mouth of pancake, "She's not putting her fake meat all over my barbeque!"

Quinn rolled her eyes, flipping another pancake, "What are you talking about? We don't even own a barbeque. If you had let me _finish_, I would have told you that Puck has one he's going to bring with him. And I text Sam and forced him to buy the meat because it's my birthday." She turned to wink at Santana, and the brunette chuckled.

"So all we need to do is buy chairs, a table and decorate for a party. Awesome." She grinned, and Quinn nodded, turning to lean her hip on the counter beside her.

"Yeah, I'm thinking Hawaiian theme." She nodded, turning back to the stove to serve her own pancake, "You know, grass skirts, coconut bras, Hawaiian shirts, Puck making lots of puns on the word 'lei'."

"Haha wanky." Santana chortled to herself as Quinn reached for the syrup. When she was finished she placed the syrup back in the cupboard before padding through to the living room, Santana following behind. The blonde had already flung the windows open, and the thin curtains were flapping in the warm breeze as Santana flicked the TV on.

"We're going to have a pretty busy weekend, huh?" Quinn raised her eyebrows at the brunette as she stuffed a forkful of pancake in her mouth, a large glob of syrup running down her chin. Santana leaned over to wipe it off with her thumb, nodding regretfully.

"Yeah, barbeque tomorrow and then Rachel's Company opening on Saturday." She shook her head, rolling her eyes, "I vote we do nothing but lay in bed on Sunday."

"Agreed." Quinn nodded firmly.

"So are we going shopping for patio furniture today?"

"If you want to." Quinn shrugged, "I have a pick-up for birthday cakes at one, but we could go after that?"

"Okay. Who's the pick-up for?" Santana asked, suddenly frowning in suspicion, "It's not for a Prittany Bierce is it?"

Quinn giggled, shaking her head, "No!"

"Oh God, I thought for a second she might try to get you to make your own birthday cake." Santana replied, rolling her eyes, "That's okay then."

"Yeah, it's some Happy 50th Birthday Charlie thing." She shrugged, "Don't worry."

"So shall we go straight from the bakery? I'll come help you?"

"Yeah, sure." Quinn grinned, "Where do you think we can get Hawaiian party decorations?"

"There's a party store like two subway stops away. They probably do them." Santana tilted her head thoughtfully, "Where can we get a table and chairs?"

"Um…a furniture store?" Quinn suggested, raising her eyebrows sarcastically.

"Oh. Oh yeah. Okay." Santana mumbled, nodding constantly.

"Cool, let's go or we'll be late." She jerked her head in the direction of the door and Santana nodded, taking the plates through to the kitchen as Quinn went to get her shoes from the bedroom. They left the apartment a few minutes later, quickly making their way to the bakery and opening up for the day.

-oOo-

"I like this one." Quinn pointed to the red spotted table and chairs on her left.

"Hmm, I like the pattern but it looks a little…flimsy." Santana tilted her head to the side, surveying the furniture with a frown.

"Are you planning on hosting the Superbowl on our roof?" She asked casually.

"Um, no?" Santana raised an eyebrow, staring blankly at Quinn.

"Then why does it matter?" She shrugged. Santana rolled her eyes.

"I just think that we want the most use out of our furniture as possible. And I don't entirely trust _any _of our friends not to have sex on it." The brunette shook her head, gazing around the store thoughtfully.

"Ew." Quinn grimaced, but her face immediately changed into one of content realisation.

"What?" Santana frowned, raising an eyebrow at the blonde's expression.

"Nothing. I, I just realised, we're buying furniture together." She stroked her fingertips over the surface of the spotty table, gazing down at it, and Santana's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah. Yeah we are…but I still don't understand?" She tilted her head to the side before pulling out a chair and taking a seat at the table beside them, plonking her elbows on the table top and resting her chin on her hands, "Pull up a pew and tell me what the hell you're talking about." She leaned back in her chair, giving Quinn a cheeky wink.

"You're very cavalier, but okay." The blonde followed suit, clasping her hands on the table and taking a deep breath, "It's just…it's serious, you know?" She said it with a smile, but Santana frowned, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"Yeah. It is." She averted her eyes to the table top, swallowing a lump in her throat, "You're not…I mean, you're not freaking out are you?"

"No!" Quinn shook her head, reaching out and taking one of Santana's hands from under her chin, holding it on the table, "No of course I'm not freaking out. It's just that, sure we live together and everything. But all of our stuff is either your stuff or my stuff. Aside from our bedtime moisturisers." She added as an afterthought, giving her head a slight shake to focus, "But all of the furniture and the kitchen utensils and pictures on the walls, photo frames, everything. They're all either yours or mine. But this," She drew a small circle on the table-top with her index finger, "It's going to be ours. We're going to pay for it together and use it together and it's the first real thing that's really…_ours_."

She finished with a small shrug and an excited grin, and Santana nodded thoughtfully before taking a breath to answer, "Yeah. I never really thought of it like that, but I guess you're right. The only times we pay for things together at the moment is when I'm two dollars short for movie rentals." She chuckled to herself, glancing around the store before looking back to Quinn, drumming her fingers against her cheek. "So, do you think maybe we should buy more things that are _ours_?" She raised her eyebrows, gazing up at the blonde through her eyelashes, and Quinn twisted her mouth thoughtfully.

"Like what?"

"I don't know." Santana shrugged, "We'll sell some stuff that's mine or yours and use the money to buy new things that are ours? Like, the couch is pretty worn – why not get ourselves a new one? We could even redecorate my apartment. Make it officially ours. My landlord doesn't care about redecorating as long as you don't use wallpaper." She shook her head and Quinn grinned, chuckling quietly.

"Really?" Santana nodded enthusiastically, "Well then, yeah sure! We could start looking for paint samples and stuff. That sounds awesome." She fell quiet, gazing at Santana and biting her lip excitedly. "It sounds perfect. I can't wait."

"Me neither." Santana replied genuinely, a grin spreading across her face, "But for now!" She slapped the table with her hands before pushing herself to her feet, "We have patio furniture to buy! Come on, Blondie." She extended her arm and Quinn took her hand, allowing the brunette to pull her to her feet. She pulled her close for a second, dropping a quick kiss on the end of the blonde's nose before leaning in for a chaste kiss on the lip. Grinning, she turned away to clasp Quinn's hand in her own, tugging her through the aisles of the store, surveying various furniture sets as they passed.

-oOo-

"Okay, definitely this one." Santana drummed her fingers on the table between them, nodding firmly.

"Good, I'm getting bored of weighing up the options. I hate making decisions." The blonde grimaced before smiling down at the table in front of her, "Okay, perfect."

"Cool. Let's go find a guy and tell him we'd like to buy it. How many chairs?" She raised her eyebrows at Quinn, who shrugged.

"I don't know, how about six? It'll be more expensive, but at least we can have everybody over without making people sit on the floor?" She held up her hands as if weighing the options, and Santana nodded.

"Okay, six it is. Let's go find a guy." She craned her neck to see down the aisles, and spotted a young man in a fake kitchen set-up a few yards away. "Excuse me?" She called, and the boy lifted his head, immediately striding over to them.

"Hello, miss. How can I help you?" He gave them a huge grin, his pearly white teeth gleaming under the fluorescent lights.

"Um, we'd like to buy this table please? With six chairs." Quinn smiled politely, and the man nodded.

"Sure, no problem. However I do have to tell you that there are no deliveries for two weeks. We've been having some staffing issues," He shook his head guiltily, "So you can either take it home yourselves, or wait and have it delivered a week on…" He frowned down at a spreadsheet in front of him, "Thursday."

"Really? We kind of needed it for this weekend?" Santana winced, but the man shrugged.

"I'm really sorry. Do you have a car, do you think you could take it home in a few trips?" He suggested with a shrug, but Quinn shook her head.

"Nope. Just the subway."

"Oh." The man looked apologetic as Santana frowned down at the counter in front of her.

"We'll take it anyway." She decided with a firm nod, and Quinn frowned, grabbing the girls elbow to turn Santana to face her.

"Are you insane?" She stared at her incredulously, giving a nervous laugh, "How are we going to get a table and six chairs home and up to the roof?"

Santana quirked an eyebrow, "I know seven people who, between the both of us, all owe favours." She smirked, pulling out her phone, but Quinn shook her head sceptically.

"No way are the guys going to come help us lug patio furniture home. No way." She shrugged, "Why don't we just go somewhere else with working delivery systems?"

"Because." Santana tilted her head, "You want this one."

She turned away from the blonde, who stood gazing across at the table and chairs with a small smile. After punching in her pin number, Santana began scrolling through her contacts, "Quinn, you call Jess, I'll call Rachel. If they're busy then recruit whoever they're with."

Quinn nodded obediently, retrieving her own phone from her bag and finding Jess' number.

"What up, Berry. Are you busy?"

"Hey Jess, it's Q!"

"Good. I need a favour."

"Yeah, Santana and I just wondered if you could help us out?"

"You owe me one, midget! Get over it." Santana rolled her eyes with a sigh.

"Oh my God, you are a life saver!"

"All we need you to do is just like, carry a chair. Stop being a drama queen."

"We're just moving some furniture up to the roof but we can't carry it all." The blonde lied, biting her lip.

"We're at Furniture Land, meet us here as soon as possible." Santana ordered.

"Yeah, sure, We're not at the apartment _right now_," Quinn grimaced guiltily, "But I'll text you where to meet us."

"Are you with Sam?" The brunette demanded.

"Oh, yeah is Brittany there?" Quinn added, reminded by Santana.

"Good. Bring him. Okay, bye."

"Perfect, can she come too? Great, see you!"

They both hung up and Santana grinned broadly, "You see! That's Rachel, Sam, Jess _and_ Brittany. Including you and me, that's all six chairs covered. Two people might just have to make an extra trip for the table." She shrugged happily but Quinn frowned.

"Why don't we ask Puck? Hopefully he knows someone he could bring and they can bring the table?" She suggested, raising her eyebrows, and Santana nodded as Quinn scrolled through her contacts again.

"Hey, Puck?"

"What's up, Q?" He greeted happily.

"Hey, can I ask you a favour?" She asked, wincing.

"Sure, anything for my best best-friend's-little-sister." He chortled, "What do you need?"

"We bought some furniture and we just need a little help getting it home."

"Um, I would totally help you," He began apologetically, and Quinn sighed, "I didn't realise you'd need me _right now_. I'm uh…_kinda busy_." He whispered suggestively, and the blonde's lip curled.

"I see. Um, okay then."

Santana frowned, raising an eyebrow at Quinn, who shook her head before making a thrusting motion with her hips. The brunette rolled her eyes and snatched the phone from Quinn's hand.

"Listen, Puck. I don't care what kind of nasty you're doing right now, but we needs as much help as we can get and you're supposed to have our backs. So get your ass to Furniture Land, douchebag. It won't take long, you can get back to your skank as soon as we're done. Okay?"

Puck rolled his eyes through her lecture, taking a deep breath and sighing regretfully, "Okay."

"Perfect. We'll let you finish up." She hung up with a chortle, handing the phone back to Quinn with a grin, "And now we wait!"

-oOo-

"Furniture Land?" Jess demanded scathingly as she strode over to where Quinn and Santana were sat at their new dining set. "When you said you needed help carrying things up to the roof I didn't realise you meant from _four blocks away!_" She glared at them incredulously as Brittany grinned behind her.

"Hey, guys. Cool table." She pulled out a chair, sitting and bouncing up and down on it, rubbing her hands across the surface of the table.

"Thanks," Quinn grinned, "And sorry but if I told you I knew you wouldn't come."

"I'd have still come." The tall blonde shrugged, and Santana giggled, nudging her suggestively and making Brittany chuckle.

"Ugh, whatever." Jess rolled her eyes, taking a seat at the table.

"See, just think of this summer instead!" Quinn told her brightly, lounging back in her seat, "Imagine the sun shining down, the smell of a barbeque, cocktails. You won't be resenting the table so much when you have a place to sit and enjoy it all." She raised her eyebrows at the small brunette, who sighed heavily.

"I suppose." Her bad mood relented, and she turned to the blonde excitedly, "So are you looking forward to your birthday?"

"Totally. We've decided it's going to be Hawaiian-themed, so we're going to buy decorations this week." She grinned happily, and Jess opened her mouth to reply, but at that moment Sam and Rachel appeared through the automatic doors at the front of the store. Santana leaned back on her chair to wave them over, and soon they were stood by the table.

"Oh my God." Rachel groaned, "Santana you've dreamt up some fairly ridiculous hair-brained schemes during our extensive friendship, but this is extreme even for you." She glanced between Santana and Quinn, who grinned enthusiastically.

"Think of it as team bonding!" The blonde replied, "It'll bring us all closer together."

"I'm close enough to every single one of you." Sam replied bluntly, "Maybe even a little too close." He added, glancing over at Santana, who scowled.

"Anyway, we're just waiting for Puck then we'll get moving." Santana smiled as, right on cue, the boy appeared behind Sam, looking nervous and shifty.

"What's wrong with you?" Brittany frowned, and Puck shrugged.

"Um, nothing."

"You're being weird." Jess added. Puck glanced over his shoulder before leaning in and lowering his voice.

"Fine, but _all of you_" He glared at them in turn, "_Be cool._ Okay? Because I swear to God-"

"What are you talking about?" Quinn interjected, and the boy sighed sharply before confessing.

"I brought Summer with me."

"Oooh!" The group all reacted delightedly, wooping and teasing the boy until he shushed them impatiently.

"Alright! Alright." He rolled his eyes, "She's just using the bathroom. We were hanging out at her place-"

"Ew." Jess interjected, but Puck shook his head.

"And then you guys called so I had to come. She was pretty cool with it, I told her she didn't have to come with me but she didn't mind and I'm going to take her out for food afterwards. So just _be cool._ Okay?" The group all nodded and agreed non-committally. "_Okay?_" he elaborated, and they all agreed properly as Summer rounded the corner.

"Hi. I'm Summer. You might all remember me from one of those embarrassing nights of my life." She smiled politely, resting her hand on Puck's shoulder and leaning against him.

"Hi, Summer." The group chorused as one, all grinning happily.

"Thanks for coming and helping us shift furniture." Quinn smiled, "I wouldn't dream of helping strangers move their furniture."

"It's no problem, I had nothing better to do with my day." She smiled, and Santana nodded.

"Well no offence, but I'm glad your social life sucks today." She pushed herself to her feet, "Now if all the girls get a chair each, then Puck and Sam can take the table between them. Sound okay?"

The rest of the group nodded, getting to their feet and picking up their respective chairs. Rachel huffed as she shifted the chair in her arms until it was comfortable, struggling with the weight in comparison to her stature. Brittany, Jess and Summer lifted theirs easily while Santana and Quinn hoisted theirs up to carry them comfortably. Puck and Sam placed themselves at either end of the table, lifting it off the floor and following behind as Santana and Quinn left the store.

As Rachel passed through the automatic door, it began to close in front of her, resulting in a high-pitched squeal and a knocking sound as the chair leg bashed against the door. Santana craned her neck to scowl at the small brunette as she made her way onto the street.

"Watch it, midget! If you break it you buy us another one!"

The tiny brunette rolled her eyes, shifting the chair again and carrying on behind them.

**Five Blocks To Go**

"So what do you do, Summer?" Brittany called over the street noise as they wandered in procession.

"I'm a fashion intern at Vogue!" She replied, slightly breathless.

"Oh, that sounds cool. Do you enjoy it?" Quinn shouted behind her.

"Yeah! It's awesome!" The brunette replied, and they soon fell silent from the effort.

**Four Blocks To Go**

"Hey, Quinn!" Sam called scathingly, swapping places with Puck, "Why didn't you just get it delivered?"

The blonde stopped turned, holding the chair aloft so the seat was resting on her head, "Wow. Thanks, genius." She replied sarcastically, "I had _never_ thought of that."

"Well then why didn't you?" He demanded, lifting the table once again to carry it behind him.

"Because they couldn't deliver for two weeks, jackass!" She snapped, "Otherwise I would have!"

"Geez, there's no need to get like that." He rolled his eyes as Summer sped up to walk beside Puck with her chair, sniggering at the mohawked boy.

"Well unless you want to spend all of my birthday sitting on the floor, you can stop complaining." Quinn countered, and Sam sighed petulantly, remaining quiet.

**Three Blocks To Go**

"So this is maybe the most unconventional date I've ever been on." Summer grinned as they rounded a street corner. Brittany's ears perked up behind them.

"I know. I'm sorry," Puck attempted to shrug, "Not exactly romantic. Hopefully this evening will be more enjoyable." He grinned, and the girl nodded.

"It had better be. You've been built up as quite a Casanova." She raised her eyebrows mock-seriously, "You're only letting yourself down."

"Well I must try harder." He replied with a smirk, and the girl nodded enthusiastically.

"You should. I work in fashion, I have lots of contacts." She winked conspiratorially, "I could destroy your image."

Before the girl could reply, Brittany was striding around them, attempting to act casual, to catch up with Jess and Rachel.

"Guys!" She hissed, "Guys!"

"What?" Jess turned, her face slightly flushed as Rachel huffed beside her.

"Shh!" Brittany whispered, "I just listened to Puck and Summer talking. And she said that they were on a _date_."

"Wow." Rachel frowned, breathing heavily, "This is an _awful_ date to take someone on."

"I know right?" Brittany sniggered, "But to be fair, I don't think this was exactly what Puck had planned."

"I don't think this is what _anyone_ planned for today." Jess replied in a low voice, rolling her eyes Santana turned on her heel in front of them, almost colliding with Rachel.

"Look, I know this isn't anyone's dream for today." She looked between the girls, "But do you think I want to be carrying patio furniture for five blocks in the boiling hot sun? I don't. But otherwise we're all going to spend Q's birthday on the floor. So it's all for our own good. Yes?"

"Yes, yes, we know!" Rachel sighed, "We know _why_ we have to do it, and we know it has to be done. But we're still bitter and we're still going to complain. Now please keep walking." She begged, her breathing ragged, "All of this standing around is just making it take longer, and my arms are about to drop off."

The brunette nodded, turning and continuing down the street.

**Two Blocks To Go**

"Can we take a break?" Quinn called, glancing around the group, who all nodded vehemently.

"God, yes!" Summer replied, immediately dropping her chair onto the sidewalk in front of her. Puck sniggered, releasing the table and leaning down to whisper something in her ear. She giggled and gave his chest a slap as Sam placed his end of the table down, and the other girls released their chairs, quickly collapsing into them.

"Oh my God, I'm exhausted!" Santana sighed, dropping her head into her hands.

"I need a drink, I'm going to the store." Quinn huffed, "Who wants one?"

They all held their hands up and she quickly disappeared into the store next to them as the group moved the table away from the road and out of the flow of foot-traffic. Santana dragged her chair across with it, dropping into her seat and crossing her ankles on the table. Jess and Brittany followed suit while Summer perched on Puck's lap and Rachel rested her burning forehead on the cold glass surface of the table.

Quinn returned a few minutes later, passing out bottles of water to the group sat around the table before taking her seat and resting her feet up on the table. "Well, at least this proves that our new furniture is good?" She shrugged, addressing Santana, "Everyone's making use of it happily."

"I am so tired, I would make use of a mouldy mattress right now." Jess replied bluntly, and Quinn shook her head as the group chuckled.

"Well, at least it works." Rachel shrugged.

"Although, maybe we shouldn't just be sat around in the street?" Sam suggested, looking uneasy.

"Noone seems to care that much." Puck sniggered, taking a sip of his water before Summer took it off him and took a drink.

"Only in New York."

"Okay, let's go before it becomes even harder work to get going again." Brittany announced, clambering to her feet.

**One Block To Go**

"Come on, Rach. It's the last block!" Santana spurred her on. "You can do it."

"I don't think I can!" The tiny brunette whined, her face flushed bright red from exertion, "It's too heavy!"

"Here." Sam took the chair from her, swinging it over his shoulder to rest against the side of his body, "Just take the other corner of the table."

Staggering slightly, the blonde boy walked along with one hand supporting the table and the other carrying the chair. "What a gentleman." Summer remarked pointedly, glancing up at Puck. "If only I had a strong man to ease my burden." She spoke in a soft, seductive voice, and Puck raised an eyebrow.

"I'm not carrying your chair, you're managing perfectly well on your own." He shook his head firmly and the girl sighed reluctantly.

"Ugh, I knew it was a long shot." She shrugged, shifting her chair around to carry it more comfortably.

Santana and Brittany were both now using their heads to support the weight of their chairs, whilst Quinn was struggling along with the legs of her chair facing forwards like spears and Jess staggered behind with her chair slung at an odd angle over her back.

"I swear, Q." She shook her head, "This birthday had better be worth it."

"I promise we'll all get super drunk and have an awesome time!" The blonde called in response, and Brittany nodded her agreement.

"We'd better. If I am anything less than paralytic, I am blaming you personally." She groaned, and the group chuckled in response before falling silent.

**No Blocks To Go**

"So this is it?" Summer asked excitedly, "Your apartment block?"

"Yup." Santana replied, nodding as she dropped her chair onto the sidewalk.

"Perfect! Do you think this stuff will fit in your elevator in one go?" She raised her eyebrows, but the group just gazed silently at her. "What?"

"Oh, honey." Jess sighed sympathetically.

"What is it?" Summer frowned, "I don't get it?"

"Their elevator doesn't work." Puck admitted quietly.

"_Are you kidding me?_" The girl stared between the group, her jaw dropping, "Jesus Christ."

"We know." Quinn nodded with a heavy sigh. "We could risk it, but it's more likely that we'll end up crashing to the ground and being crushed to death I a confined space by patio furniture. Sorry."

"Oh God." The girl shook her head with a sigh, "I don't mean to be vulgar or anything," She glanced round the group before turning to Puck, "But you'd better bring your A-game tonight because I swear to God, I deserve compensation for this."

"Here, here!" Santana echoed as Puck sniggered.

"She's either insane or in love." Quinn mumbled to Santana under her breath, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, shall we do the last stretch?" Jess suggested, and they all agreed reluctantly.

**The Roof**

"FINALLY!" Brittany shouted, grinning widely as she deposited her chair on the patio and collapsed to lay on the ground.

"Oh my God, I thought we were never going to get here!" Quinn laughed with relief.

"How many flights of stairs are there in your apartment building?" Summer rolled her eyes incredulously.

"Way too many." Santana nodded sympathetically, taking a seat on the chair she had carried up, "Thanks for your help, though."

"No problem." Summer took a seat beside the brunette as Sam and Puck wandered around the roof terrace. "Although, I hope you realise I'm coming to your girlfriend's birthday party."

Santana chuckled and Quinn turned to face them from her place cross-legged on the patio with Brittany and Jess, "You're totally invited, don't worry!"

"There you go." Santana gestured to the blonde, and Summer nodded gratefully.

"Thanks. I'll bring…whatever you need me to bring." She shrugged and Santana chuckled.

"Puck is bringing his barbeque, I think we have food and cocktails covered. I'm sure Quinn will think of something you can bring."

"You know what? I'll just bring beer." The girl shook her head nonchalantly and Santana nodded her agreement.

"Sounds perfect." She held her almost-empty water bottle up in cheers, and Summer tapped her own against it before taking a large gulp. "So, do you mind if I ask what's actually happening with you and Puck?"

"Um...yeah." The girl seemed a little taken aback, and Santana smiled apologetically, "I don't really know right now. This is only the second time I've seen him since that night in the bar."

"And I remember all too well how _that _ended." She rolled her eyes and Summer sniggered guiltily.

"So I don't know. I don't know if I'm ready for something serious, but he's a nice guy. And I'm also not _entirely_ sure why I'm having this conversation with you before I've had it with _him_." She frowned thoughtfully, reflecting on the situation.

"Oh yeah, sorry." Santana grimaced guiltily, "It's just...Puck's a really great guy, under all the..._testosterone_." She shrugged, "I don't want him getting hurt."

"I can understand that." Summer shrugged, "But...I can't make any promises, you know?"

Santana nodded slowly, "Yeah. I just, you know, he got hurt pretty bad last time. And I kind of feel a little like that was my fault. So...I don't want that happening to him again. That's all." She stuttered self consciously, averting her eyes to gaze down at her feet.

"I see." Summer nodded slowly, "Well...I promise I'll do my best."

"That's all I ask." Santana smiled, "And you know, it works both ways. If _he _hurts _you, _I'll happily beat his ass?" She offered, and the other brunette laughed loudly.

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind." She nodded, and Santana gave a small chuckle, winking cheekily.


	54. Food Poisoning

**Hello! Thank you for all the lovely reviews, once again! Just to let you know, as the title indicates, there's a little illness in this chapter. I tried not to be vulgar but there are a few slightly more graphic moments. Hopefully nothing too disgusting, I tried to put it all nicely. Thank you for reading, as always!**

* * *

><p>"Alohaaaa! Happy Birthday!" Brittany hollered, holding up a bottle of alcohol in each hand as Jess followed her out of the door to the roof, matching Brittany's stance.<p>

"Hey!" Quinn grinned, pulling the blonde into a one-armed hug as she carried a tray of dips to the table in the other hand. "Come on, come on!" she gestured for them to follow her, and the girls abandoned their bottles on one of the small tables Santana had carried up to the roof, leaving the presents on the other.

The patio was festooned with Hawaiian flower garlands, fairy lights and bunting adorned with ukuleles and surfboards. A huge inflatable palm tree was stood beside the table, and a tiki door sticker covered the door to the building. Santana was wearing loud, flowery boardshorts and a bikini top, whilst Quinn wore a coconut bra and a grass skirt that swayed as she walked. Both were wearing leis around their necks, although the blonde was wearing four of various different colours, and flowers in her hair.

"Hey guys!" Santana called from the table, where she was setting out burger buns, plates and crockery. Jess deposited a bag full of cocktail shakers, mixers and drink accessories under the table of drinks as Quinn quickly grabbed the stack of flower garlands, passing a lei to each of the girls.

"Hey, how's it going? Need help with anything?" Brittany offered, staring around the patio, "Seems you've got decorations covered."

"Yes we have." Santana drawled proudly, winking at the girl, "We bought every Hawaiian-themed item in the store."

"So, need anything?" Jess raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"Um, yeah you could go down and get the coconut cups from the apartment? I didn't bring them up yet, they're just in a bag by the door, along with some straws. Oh, and a couple of extra chairs." Jess snorted, and Quinn sent her a warning glance, "Don't."

The brunette snickered at the irony as there was a knock on the door to the terrace.

Rachel swung the door open with a beaming grin as Puck, Sam and Summer hovered behind her, "Aloha, guys!"

"Happy Birthday, sis!" Sam shouted over his shoulder as he and Puck carried the barbeque out on to the patio.

Sam and Puck were both wearing bright Hawaiian shirts, although Sam had also teamed his with clashing printed shorts. Rachel wore a straw fedora with a thin Hawaiian shirt hanging open over a white vest, while Summer wore linen trousers and a flowery bikini top with wacky beach-themed sunglasses.

"Hi, nice to see you again." Summer smiled brightly as she followed them out, leaving a present on the table where Rachel had just placed hers. The tiny brunette set down a bag on the table and ran over to pull Quinn into a tight hug, and as soon as the barbeque was set down, Puck and Sam joined them to crush the two girls together.

"Happy Birthday, Q!" Puck dropped a quick kiss to the top of her head, squeezing her shoulders even tighter before letting her go. The blonde wheezed, stretching out her back as she chuckled, and Santana retrieved the flower garlands.

"Hey." She shouted for their attention, nodding her head lasciviously, "Anyone want a lei?" She winked, holding the garlands aloft, hooked over one finger, and Puck immediately scowled petulantly.

"What? That was my line!" He protested, throwing his arms up in the air as he sat down in one of the chairs.

"I know!" The brunette sniggered, throwing one of the leis in his direction. He took it moodily, holding it in his hand as Summer perched on his lap, taking it from him and flicking it over his head with a chuckle.

"I'm so glad she said that before you could." She grimaced awkwardly, shaking her head.

"Oh hey, you guys!" Jess called as she appeared from the doorway, Brittany following behind with a fold-out chair in each hand.

The group began unpacking the various bowls of salad, drink-making accessories and packets of meat, and Puck and Sam immediately went to light the barbeque as Jess began mixing cocktails.

-o-

"Do you think these look done?" Puck frowned down at the burgers on the grill, prodding them with the end of his tongs.

Sam leaned forward to peer over the boy's shoulder, scanning the meat before shrugging, "They look good to me."

"Even Rachel's weird veggie burger thing?" His lip curled as he turned to raise an eyebrow at Sam, who looked over his shoulder again and nodded, before turning back to the sausages he was separating.

"Yeah, it'll be fine."

"So what's this one called?" Quinn frowned, gazing at the colours drink Jess had handed to her.

"Fittingly, it's called a blue Hawaii." The girl replied proudly.

"How long is that food going to be?" Santana called across to the boys, and Sam turned to raise his hand.

"Don't worry, the burgers are done, we're about to put the sausages on!" He grinned widely, passing a plate of sausages to Puck as the mohawked boy passed a plate of burgers back to him. "Here you go, ladies!" He placed the plate on the table with a flourish, and the girl's immediately began helping themselves to salad and burgers.

"Did you make sure my veggie burger was cooked at 160 for at least five minutes?" Rachel demanded, staring evenly up at Sam. He averted his eyes before shrugging.

"Um, I think so. Yeah, I think." He frowned in confusion as Rachel rounded on Puck.

"Puck. Did you make sure my burger was cooked at 160 for at least five minutes?" She called across to him, and the boy looked over his shoulder, nodding confidently.

"Yeah, of course I did, Rach."

"Hey, could somebody put me a plate together?" Sam asked, glancing between the girls as he headed back to the barbeque.

"Yeah, will someone do me one?" Puck called, and Summer sniggered.

"I'll do you…" She nodded, "one." She added as a punchline, and the girls chuckled.

"I'll do yours, sweetie!" Rachel called to Sam. As the girl's began serving food for the two boys, Santana cleared her throat loudly.

"Okay, seeing as everybody has a cocktail, or a beer, or…" She held up her own drink, "pure vodka, I vote it's time for a toast."

"Woo!" Brittany cheered, reaching for her glass as the others followed suit.

"So, here is to my girlfriend. She is amazing fun, a great friend and a good sister. She always has a full heart and without her we would all be miserable pathetic people with a distinct lack of cupcakes in their lives." She grinned at the blonde, who chuckled, shaking her head incredulously, "To Quinn!"

"To Quinn!" The rest chorused, raising their glasses and taking a sip before tucking in to their food.

"Hey, you guys have actually done a good job!" Quinn nodded, impressed, "These don't taste half bad!"

"Well, sausages are now also ready!" Sam announced, carrying the plate over to the table and taking a seat.

"Awesome!" Jess clapped her hands together, leaning forward, her fork poised, "Gimme some sausage!" Puck opened his mouth to speak, but Brittany picked up his burger and thrust it into his open mouth.

"I'll give you some sausage!" She rushed to say, raising her fists triumphantly as Puck banged his fist against the table in frustration, making the cutlery clatter.

"Dammit!" He swore through his mouthful of burger, before pulling it out of his mouth and throwing it down onto his plate petulantly. The group laughed as Brittany sniggered, self-satisfied, and Summer shook her head sympathetically, reaching over to stroke his leg as she held back laughter.

"So, Rach," Santana raised her eyebrows at the small brunet, "Are you nervous for opening night?"

The girl sighed thoughtfully, taking a deep breath before sighing again, "I suppose so." She shrugged, turning back to her veggie burger. Santana frowned quizzically, glancing at the others, whose brows were all furrowed at the girl's unusual silence.

"Well, I'm sure there's nothing to be worried about." Quinn shrugged, watching the small girl for a reaction. Rachel nodded, her head down and eyes trained on her plate. Brittany raised an eyebrow, while Jess took a deep breath,

"So who wants another cocktail?"

-o-

"Oh God." Brittany groaned, "I am so full!"

"Tell me about it." Summer chuckled, "I don't think I've eaten so much in years." She shook her head incredulously, "In hindsight, I feel like maybe I should have said no to the third chicken leg."

"I _definitely _should have said no to the third chicken leg." Jess nodded, rubbing her stomach.

"I think the fourth sausage was my downfall." Quinn agreed, and Santana groaned self-pityingly.

"My tipping point was putting the third sausage and second burger in a bun together." She pouted, but Puck shook his head, stretching his arms above his head.

"I regret nothing."

"Me neither." Sam shook his head, patting his stomach, "Us men can take our meat."

The girls all stared at him silently as Puck finished his stretch and gazed into the distance thoughtfully, his eyes narrowed slightly. Santana watched the boy for a few seconds before rolling her eyes and reaching out to pat Sam's arm.

"Sam, that's a little gay." She informed him gently, and the blonde boy rolled his eyes as Puck growled.

"_You couldn't just give me a little time could you?_" He demanded, and Quinn laughed.

"Oh, please. We could all see the cogs working; it would have taken you all day!"

"Santana was putting you out of your misery." Jess added with a snort of derision, and Puck sighed heavily.

"I'm getting another beer."

-o-

"You know? Now that my sausage/burger combo full-ness has subsided, I might be getting ready for some birthday cake." Santana mused, gazing up at the still-bright sky.

"Ugh, I don't think I could handle any." Jess replied, grimacing and rubbing her stomach, "I still feel awful."

"I think I felt better when I'd just finished eating." Rachel snorted, shaking her head.

"I could go some cake." Quinn nodded, "But you know, I don't mind waiting if people aren't ready for it?"

"I think I'll give cake a miss completely." Summer shook her head, watching the smouldering barbeque, "Not only am I stuffed, but I kind of feel a little queasy." She grimaced, and Puck rubbed her back soothingly, "I think I ate too much."

"We've established that we ate too much." Brittany pouted, "I'm gonna go use the bathroom, should I bring the cake up?"

"As long as you wash your hands." Santana replied, her face contorted with disgust.

The blonde pushed herself off her chair, wandering over to the door and making her way downstairs to the apartment.

"I think I need another beer." Jess sighed, crossing to the table of drinks and opening a bottle, "Anyone want one?"

"Yeah, I'll go one, please." Sam raised his empty bottle, and the girl nodded, collecting another.

"Anyone else?" She raised her eyebrows but they shook their heads.

"No way, alcohol could only make me feel worse." Rachel rolled her eyes, and they fell silent as Jess took her seat once again.

Quinn sat and gazed out at the skyline speculatively, watching the lights and listening to the noises from the street. She smiled wryly at how nice it was to be sat watching the sun slowly disappearing behind the buildings, safe in their own little sanctuary. It seemed odd that they had spent the evening eating, drinking and laughing in the peaceful, Hawaiian-themed terrace whilst New York continued so busily around them. She watched as an aeroplane made its way across the sky, tilting her head thoughtfully and wondering whether it was taking off or landing. As she sighed contentedly, the door to the terrace opened and Brittany appeared once again, shaking her head with a groan.

"Oh man. No cake for me." She pulled a face as she placed the cake box on the table and took her seat.

"What's up?" Jess' brow furrowed as she watched the tall blonde sit back, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Brittany shrugged casually, and Jess narrowed her eyes.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I think I just maybe drank too much tonight." She shook her head, "It's nothing."

"Really?" Quinn tilted her head, "If you need to go home, I really don't mind, Britts."

"No. No, really." Brittany insisted, "I'll be fine, I won't let it ruin our night."

"Exactly." Santana nodded firmly, "Puke and rally, B. Puke and rally."

"Nice." Rachel grimaced, staring at Santana with an expression of horror.

"So, check out your cake!" Brittany grinned, changing the subject.

"Okay…" Quinn sat forward in her chair, taking hold of the box lid and sliding it off. Her face immediately broke into a huge grin, and she chuckled as she gazed down at the cake. They had ordered one with two tiers, and her jaw dropped as she took in the details.

The bottom tier was circular, made of blue and white marbled icing with little edible beach huts stuck to the side. The top tier was made to look like a faded, slightly rustic bucket filled with sand, and sitting proudly on top was a tiki mask pulling a grotesque face. A small surfboard stood resting against the cake, whilst the base was covered with brown sugar to look like sand. The edge between the two tiers had icing wrapped around it, made to look like rope.

"It is absolutely incredible." Quinn shook her head in amazement, staring down at the cake, "I mean it, it's absolutely fantastic! I love it! Thank you _so_ much." She shook her head, her jaw hanging open, and Santana, Jess, Brittany and Rachel beamed.

"Oh God, I'm so glad!" Brittany breathed a sigh of relief, clutching her chest, "We figured you chose the Hawaiian theme for your party, so we'd get you a beach-y cake!" She beamed proudly, but quickly closed her mouth with a grimace as she gagged slightly. "Sorry, I'm okay."

"It looks so good." Santana sighed dreamily.

"It really does." Rachel agreed sadly, but I _really_ don't think I could handle any cake."

"Me neither, I'm out." Summer waved a hand to dismiss the cake, turning to catch Santana's eye.

"Hey, do you mind if I go use your bathroom too?"

"No problem, go ahead." The girl shook her head, and Summer nodded, excusing herself with an uncomfortable expression.

-oOo-

"Tonight was awesome, huh?" Santana smiled as they entered the apartment, as Quinn nodded.

"Definitely. It was nice of everyone to stick around and help clean up." She smirked, rubbing her stomach absent-mindedly.

"Yeah it was, especially Brittany." Santana winced, "Girl did not look good."

"I know. It's not like her to suffer from too much alcohol, though." Quinn remarked with a shrug as she dropped onto the sofa with a sigh, her grass skirt ruffling as she sat on it.

"That's true." Santana agreed, sitting beside the girl and placing her almost-empty bottle of warm beer on the coffee table. "So, bed time?"

"Definitely." Quinn nodded, shifting to link her arm through Santana's and resting her head on the brunette's shoulder, "I'm so tired."

"She says, making herself comfortable." Santana chuckled, rolling her eyes, "I thought we just said it was bed time."

"Yeah I know," Quinn nodded, "I'm just psyching myself up."

"Okay." The brunette yawned, "Is it okay if I go to bed?"

Quinn chuckled, tilting her head to look up at Santana, "You can if you carry me."

Santana paused for a second, twisting her mouth thoughtfully before taking a deep breath, "I'll just stay here. You've eaten a lot tonight, there's no way I could lift you."

"Cheeky." Quinn narrowed her eyes in a glare, but chuckled nonetheless. Taking a deep breath, she prised herself off Santana and pushed herself off the sofa. Holding out a hand for Santana to take, she pulled the brunette off the sofa before leading her by the hand down the hall.

"You can use the bathroom first." Santana said through a yawn, and Quinn released her hand to drift off into the bathroom.

Santana made her way to the bedroom, flicking the bedside lamp on. Her stomach gurgled loudly as she perched on the edge of the bed to kick off her shoes and pull her t-shirt over her head, and she frowned. Changing into her pyjamas quickly, she yawned again and leaned over the end of the bed to turn off the main light. Her stomach lurched as she did so, and she sat back on her haunches, rubbing her stomach.

Just as she moved into a more comfortable position, she heard Quinn retching in the bathroom. Her eyes widened immediately and she pushed herself off the bed, striding quickly to the bathroom door and giving a small knock. "Hey Q? Sweetie? Are you okay?"

There was a pause, before the blonde croaked in reply, "I'm fine."

"Really?" Santana grimaced, "Are you throwing up?"

"Uh-huh." Quinn groaned.

"Do you need me to hold your hair?" She winced sympathetically.

"Uh-uh." The blonde managed, before the sound of retching took over once again. Santana winced, backing into the bedroom once again.

A few minutes later and the blonde appeared at the bedroom door, shaking her head. Her complexion was pale, and Santana tilted her head to the side as she entered, "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I'm great." Quinn replied sagely, and Santana smiled sadly at the girl's attempt at sarcasm.

"Sorry. I'll use the bathroom quick so you can go back in if you need to." She rubbed the girls arm before pushing herself off the bed and wandering through to the bathroom. After quickly brushing her teeth, she retrieved a wipe to remove her make-up, using the toilet as she rubbed at her face.

Quinn took a deep breath to steel herself before standing once again, carefully stripping off her clothes as her stomach turned. She managed to pull on her pyjama shorts and a vest top, grimacing as she sat back on the bed. Laying on her back, she stroked her stomach in an attempt to settle it, becoming increasingly aware of how long Santana was taking.

"Hey, San? Are you okay?" She called from the bedroom, and Santana nodded before shouting back.

"Yeah, I'll be as quick as I can! I'm sorry!"

"You're not sick are you?" The blonde called again, suddenly concerned for the brunette.

"Um…no!"

"Really? Are you just saying that because I'm sick?" Quinn sighed, pushing herself slowly into a sitting position.

"Um…no."

"Santana are you being sick?" She asked plainly, and there was a moment of silence before Santana called back,

"No…other end." She admitted sheepishly, and the blonde made a small 'o' with her mouth.

"I see. Okay. Well, I'll leave you to it." She shouted in reply, nodding her head and turning to lay down once more. As she did so, her stomach lurched. She jumped off the bed, running straight to the kitchen as she felt bile rising in her throat. She made it to the kitchen sink just in time, tears streaming from her eyes as she retched, her forearms supporting her on the counter either side.

"Are you alright, Q?" Santana shouted from the bathroom. Quinn took a deep breath,

"Yeah. You?" She managed to call back, before another round of vomiting took over.

Santana resisted the urge to scream as her stomach muscles tensed involuntarily, "Yeah, I'm okay!"

By five in the morning, they were laid out in the living room. Quinn was a pallid, grey colour, staring at the wall opposite and cradling a large mixing bowl on her lap as she laid stretched out on the sofa. Santana was clammy, hunched in the arm-chair with a hot-water-bottle against her stomach, her eyes glazed as her insides continued to gurgle.

"I feel like death." Quinn croaked, and Santana nodded slowly.

"I don't think so much food has ever exited my body so quickly." She replied stonily, shaking her head.

"Last time I threw up this much, I was four years old and I ate an entire box of chocolates before going on a bouncy castle." Quinn replied, "Never again."

"I don't even have any illness to compare this to. My life is a living hell." Santana deadpanned, and Quinn nodded her agreement before they fell silent again.

-oOo-

"Your phone is ringing." Quinn croaked, gagging on her words and retching into the bowl.

"Oh God." Santana frowned, taking the phone from the arm of her chair, "It's Berry." She sighed before answering the phone. "Hey."

"I am going to kill you." The girl growled.

"Why?" Santana frowned, but her question was soon answered. She pulled the phone away from her ear with a grimace as the sound of Rachel throwing up rang out down the line ,"Oh that's why."

"It's my-" More retching, "Opening night _tomorrow_. What am I going to do?" She broke off, sniffling as tears began to fall from her eyes.

"Maybe you'll recover by then?" Santana shrugged.

"Santana, I am throwing up _literally_ every six seconds!" She snapped.

"Well I'm sorry! If it make you feel any better, I'm shitting through the eye of a needle!" Santana countered, and Quinn grimaced at the imagery before hurling into the bowl once again.

"But this is my big chance!" Rachel groaned.

"I know, Rach. I know it is." She glanced around the apartment, searching for something to say, "But even if you need an understudy for the opening night, you'll still get to play Amy for the rest of the run?"

"But it's the opening night." Rachel sobbed down the phone, and Santana nodded, her face crumpled with sympathy,

"Yeah, I know. I know it's the important night." She sighed heavily, looking down at her lap. Quinn watched her, her heart giving a pang for the brunette who was clearly blaming herself. Well, she thought it was her heart – it could be anything, her insides felt like they were ripped to pieces.

"This is my dream, Santana." Rachel cried, "What am I going to do?"

"Just calm down, Rach. I know it's bad but just think, the more sick you are now, the faster it's getting out of your system. And maybe it'll just be a twenty-four hour thing?"

"I hope so. I can't stand it, Santana. I can't stand the idea." She began crying again and Santana nodded, taking a deep breath. As she did so, her stomach gurgled dangerously, and her eyes widened with panic.

"I know, Rach. I know it's awful, and I'm sorry, but I _really_ need to go! I'm sorry!" She hung up quickly, pushing herself off the chair and running, half-crouched from her aching stomach muscles, towards the bathroom.

She returned, groaning, and Quinn lifted her head as the girl entered, "Jess has text me."

"Oh God. Saying what?" Santana took her place in the chair again, wincing in preparation to hear the text.

"'I am going to kill Puck. Fully cooked my ass.' Sounds like they're sick, too." She twisted her mouth, shaking her head before abandoning her phone and resting her head on the back of the sofa.

"I don't blame her. I think I might kill Puck, too. And your brother." Santana mumbled, but the blonde shook her head.

"No. No way." Santana pouted but Quinn continued shaking her head, "Sam's mine. _I'm_ killing Sam."

"The way Rachel's going on, I'd imagine he's already dead." Santana remarked, rolling her eyes.

"Well…" Quinn took a deep breath, sighing sadly, "Happy Birthday to me."

"I know. Sorry it ended like this, sweetie." Santana tilted her head sympathetically, but Quinn shrugged.

"It's not your fault. And the guys didn't mean to undercook everything." She replied reasonably, and Santana rolled her eyes, nodding begrudgingly.

"I suppose."

-oOo-

"Okay. I don't want to jinx it…but I think I may be recovering." Jess announced. In the afternoon, Quinn and Santana had made the journey across to the other girls' apartment. Quinn's sickness had almost completely subsided, and Santana only had to rush to the bathroom every now and then. The theory behind all being ill together was to provide moral support for Rachel, who was terrified she would miss her opening night. In reality, they weren't providing that much support, as they were crowded round the living room and Rachel was still shoulders-deep in the toilet bowl.

"What makes you say that?" Quinn asked, her brow furrowed.

"Well, I haven't needed to use the bathroom in hours. The last time I _did_ go, things were…how can I say this nicely? Fairly regular." She replied brightly, shrugging.

"Hm. Alright for some." Brittany harrumphed on the sofa, where she was laid out with an empty bucket. Every now and then she would retch and cough, but it was usually little more than a splutter.

"Sounds like you were right when you said it was a twenty-four hour thing." Quinn pointed out, "We all seem to be recovering okay?"

"Apparently Puck and Summer are both still sick though." Santana told them with a grimace, "He just text me."

"No way, did she actually stay at Puck's?" Brittany croaked incredulously, "Even though they're so sick?"

"They cannot have been together long enough to handle this kind of sickness." Quinn reasoned, but Santana shook her head.

"No, they haven't." She set the record straight, "He's been texting her, apparently she's calling him all of the names we intended to call him, so that's two birds with one stone."

"Wow, poor girl." Jess frowned, "Get wooed in a bar, have sex in an alley, go on a date carrying furniture four blocks, attend a birthday party where your date gives you food poisoning."

"Tough week for Summer." Brittany shook her head incredulously, puffing out her cheeks as she exhaled, her eyes wide.

"Guys?" Rachel attempted to call from the bathroom.

"Yeah?" Santana shot to her feet, "What do you need, Rach?"

"Can I have a glass of water please?" The girl whined, and Santana winced as it became clear the girl was crying. Quinn nodded, standing and heading to the kitchen.

"Yeah, Quinn's getting you one, honey." Santana bit her lip, taking a breath, "Do you wanna let me in?"

"No." Rachel sniffed, but Santana twisted her mouth with worry.

"Really? Come on, Rach. Just unlock the door." Quinn appeared at her shoulder with a large glass of water whilst Jess and Brittany listened in from the living room.

"I have your water, Rachel." Quinn called through the door, and they heard a shuffling noise from the bathroom. Santana gestured for Quinn to pass her the water, taking it from her as they heard the lock slide back, and the door inched open. One of Rachel's eyes was visible through the crack, and Santana smiled kindly.

"Hey, honey. You gonna let me in?" She nodded her head, but Rachel pouted. "Yeah? Come on, just step back a little." She pushed the door gently, and Rachel backed away to allow her entry. Santana gave Quinn a quick nod, and the girl smiled before making her way back to the living room.

"Here's your water, Rach." She passed the glass to the smaller girl, who took it and shifted back to sit by the toilet. She took a sip, immediately lurching forwards, and Santana quickly stepped up to take the full glass from her, "Okay, okay. Just take it easy. Come here." She placed the glass by the sink and dropped to her knees, leaning in to gather up Rachel's hair as it fanned around her face.

"Santana, I can't do it." Rachel sobbed between retching, and the other girl nodded her understanding.

"I know it's bad, but you're doing really well." Rachel sat back, leaning against the wall, and Santana released her to reach up for the water. "Okay, I know your mouth tastes bad but you _have_ to _sip _it." She handed the glass back to the smaller girl, who took a small sip before resting her head against the wall with a sigh.

"What if I miss opening night?" She asked in a horrified whisper, and Santana swallowed a lump in her throat before shaking her head. "The critics come on opening night to write their reviews. What if I'm not even _there_? That's worse than a bad review."

"If you have to miss opening night," She struggled for something to say, "I will personally visit every newspapers' theatre critic and make them visit again and write another review. I promise." She lifted her hand to draw a cross over her heart with her index finger. "Promise."

"Okay." Rachel whispered, nodding sadly.

"Hey, I think we need to clean you up a little. I mean…you know." She gestured to the girl's t-shirt, which was filthy from the ordeal. "Just stay here."

She crossed to the door, unlocking it and sticking her head round to call into the living room, "Hey, guys? Can somebody get me a fresh t-shirt and pyjama pants for Rachel?" She glanced back at the girl, "And some underwear, I'm guessing." She raised her eyebrows at Rachel, who nodded pathetically.

"Sure, I'll go." Jess got up and headed for the bedroom, quickly returning with fresh clothes. Santana took them from her with a nod of thanks before turning back to Rachel, who was shaking her head.

"No, it hurts too much every time I move." She groaned, crying quietly.

"No, I'm going to help. I promise we won't aggravate your stomach or anything." She shook her head firmly, "It's going to be fine. Just stay there."

She moved to kneel down in front of Rachel again, lifting the smaller girl's legs to stretch them out in front of her. She prepared the clothes beside her in the order Rachel would put them on, before taking hold of the girl's elbows and leaning her forwards slightly, steadying her with a hand rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"Okay then, all I want you to do is raise your arms. You don't need to move anything but your arms; I'll do the rest." Rachel unwillingly obliged, and Santana pulled the dirty t-shirt slowly over her head, swapping it for the new t-shirt and gently slipping Rachel's arms into the correct holes, pulling the t-shirt over the girl's body.

"You're doing great. Do you feel okay?" Rachel shook her head, and Santana paused, handing the glass of water back to the small brunette, "Remember to sip."

Rachel had another few sips of water before Santana took the glass from her, placing it on the floor by Rachel's hip before shuffling down to the girl's feet. Taking hold of the hem of her pyjama bottoms, she pulled until the pyjamas came clean off. She paused, taking a deep breath as Rachel eyed her pathetically.

"Yeah. Okay. We both know what's coming next." She said evenly, "Let's not make this weird. I've seen it all before, just admittedly not on you."

"This is going to be weird isn't it?" Rachel pouted, and Santana swallowed before replying.

"Can you manage it on your own?" She raised an eyebrow and Rachel lifted herself up on her hands. As she moved her leg to steady herself, she felt a familiar churning in her stomach and rolled her eyes before leaning over the toilet bowl. "Thought so." Santana nodded, pulling the girl's hair back once again. "Okay. Tell you what, you just stay still."

She took a deep breath to steady herself, shifting so she was holding Rachel's hair in one hand. "Quinn?" She called, and the blonde shouted in response. "Um, this will sound weird but do you mind if I take off Rachel's underwear?"

"Nope!" The blonde shouted back brightly, "Go wild."

"Thanks." Santana replied quietly, with a reluctant sigh. She clasped the girl's hair in one hand as Rachel retched again, before hooking her thumb into the waistband of Rachel's underwear and pulling. Staring up at the ceiling and forcing herself to think of anything else, she felt on the floor for the clean underwear, dropping Rachel's hair to slide her feet through the leg holes. She struggled to get the underwear past the girl's knees, but quickly pulled them up into position with a sigh of relief.

"Okay, are you ready to sit back?" Rachel nodded, and Santana supported her as the girl shifted to rest against the wall. Lifting the girl's legs individually, she managed to dress Rachel in the cut-off pyjama shorts. After collecting up the dirty clothes, she exited the bathroom, wandering through to the living room.

"Hey, are you okay?" Quinn asked as she entered, the corners of her mouth quirked up in a wry smile.

"Are they for the laundry?" Jess interrupted, taking the clothes from her and crossing to deposit them in the bedroom.

"Quinn." Santana said plainly, staring evenly at the girl, "I'm really sorry, but you are never having a birthday party again."

* * *

><p><strong>Just if anyone was wondering, the ideas for Quinn's birthday cake can all be found on . ?postSubmitted=true<br>**  
><strong>Y'alls should check out them cakes, as they are incredible.<br>Thank you for reading!**


	55. Opening Night

**Hey! A HUGE thank you to everyone who's still reading and reviewing. ALL reviews are always appreciated so please keep them coming. **

**I also wanted to send some virtual hugs out to everyone in the Glee fandom whose suffering from Cory Monteith's death. I know it affected me far more than I expected it to so my support goes out to the Glee universe, and of course, all of his family and friends.**

**As for this chapter, I know Glee already covered one of the songs, using different characters (bastards) but I've had Rachel cast as Amy in Company for a while now, so you all know it was my idea first! So you'll just have to pretend Glee never did it.**

**Thanks for reading!**

* * *

><p>"How's she doing?" Quinn asked, wincing down the phone.<p>

"I think she's okay." Santana replied warily, releasing a deep breath, "She hasn't been sick for a few hours now, and she's just napping. We're hoping it'll still be gone by this evening."

"Well, the rest of us are fine now." The blonde reasoned, "Hopefully she'll be okay."

"Yeah, hopefully. So how are you? Busy day?" Santana chatted as she sat herself at Rachel, Jess and Brittany's breakfast bar.

"Yeah, I'm good. Pretty busy." She chuckled, "I've already had two pick-ups and another due in…half an hour. A list of jobs as long as my arm _and_ a queue out the door."

"Ugh, I'm so sorry." Santana tutted sympathetically, "I tried to get away to come help but Brittany's filming a music video today and Jess has an audition. I felt bad leaving Rachel."

"No, don't be silly! I understand." Quinn shook her head as she wandered around behind the counter of the recently-emptied cupcake shop, "Although, you _are g_oing to have to leave at some point so you can get ready." The blonde pointed out with a chuckle, and Santana nodded.

"Yes, yes, I know." She rolled her eyes, "Sam is _finally_ coming over soon so he'll look after Rachel and make sure she gets to the theatre on time and everything so I can go home and get ready with you." She informed her with a grin, and Quinn found a bubble of excitement building in her stomach.

"It's about time Sam pulled his finger out. But that's awesome. I can't wait to see it, it feels like we've been waiting forever."

"Yeah, imagine how Rachel feels." Santana replied, hissing through her teeth, "I'm just hoping she isn't going to barf all over the audience, that's all."

"I'm sure she'll be fine! Don't be disgusting." Quinn chastised.

"Well, I'm gonna tell her to aim for seats twenty-two onwards if she _does _have to. I'm wearing a kick ass dress that cost me more than my monthly rent at the time; ain't no way I'm letting Berry ruin it with her dwarf vomit." Santana ranted flippantly.

"Um, you can act as kick-ass as you want, San, but we all remember that you undressed Rachel in her time of need yesterday." Quinn countered boldly, and Santana huffed.

"Ugh, please don't remind me." She scowled, but the blonde shushed her.

"Oh, I spoke to my Aunt Clara this morning, too. I'm going to go over there tomorrow and see her, is that okay?"

"Yeah, of course. I'll probably hang out with Rachel and Brittany or something, it's been a while since the three of us have just spent time together." She smiled at the prospect.

"Okay, someone's coming I have to go sweetie I love you so much bye-" She was cut off as she hung up the phone, and Santana took a deep breath, sighing heavily before pushing herself off the stool and wandering through to Rachel's bedroom. "Hey, Rach? How you feeling?"

She peeked through the slightly-ajar door and into the dark, stuffy bedroom. Frowning at the lack of reply, she tip-toed through the room to the window, pushing it open gently to let a breeze waft the curtains and cool the claustrophobic room. She felt Rachel's temperature with the back of her hand, nodding with satisfaction before turning and leaving the room, shutting the door behind her with a soft click. She paused in the hallway for a moment, wondering what to do next, before shrugging buoyantly and heading to the kitchen. If she had to look after Rachel, she might as well enjoy the perks of free food.

-ooOoo-

"Okay, Puck has organised a taxi to pick us up in ten minutes, are you ready?" Santana called from the bathroom as she checked her phone.

"Yup." Quinn nodded from the bedroom, "Just finishing off, you?"

"Teeth brushing. I need to spray deodorant and perfume then I'm done."

"Yeah, I need to pull all the crap out of my bag." Quinn snorted, swiping a last coat of mascara over her lashes, batting them a few times before turning to leave the bedroom with her handbag. She emptied the contents of her bag onto the coffee table before plucking out the things she would want that evening and throwing random extra items into the bag, "Oh, hey! This is the bag I took on our first date!" She shouted brightly to Santana, who stuck her head round the bathroom door frame, her eyebrows raised and mouth full of toothpaste foam.

"Learly?" She asked in a muffled gurgle.

"Yeah, I can tell. It smells like spilled mustard and there's a ticket stub in it from that awful foreign movie we saw." She held it up for the brunette with a chuckle, and Santana shook her head, retreating to the bathroom to spit out her mouthful before reappearing.

"I still can't believe that was our first date." She replied with a disbelieving head shake, "No offence, Q. But that was possibly the worst date I've ever been on." She trailed into laughter as she finished, ducking back into the bathroom to finish brushing her teeth while Quinn looked offended.

"How dare you!" She shouted after her, "I think you'll find _you _asked _me _on that date! Anything that went wrong was solely your fault."

Santana appeared from the bathroom again, spraying various bottles over her body, "I'll agree to share blame equally." She challenged, and Quinn paused thoughtfully before nodding.

"Deal." She zipped up her bag triumphantly, but suddenly turned to Santana, her eyes narrowed, "Hold on."

"What?"

"I'm just checking here. Do you happen to be wearing your so-called 'lucky underwear'?" She raised an eyebrow, but Santana rolled her eyes.

"Of course I am! I don't want Rachel barfing everywhere, it's her big night!"

"Go take them off." Quinn ordered sternly, and Santana's jaw dropped.

"No way! They're lucky!" She insisted, checking through the contents of her bag.

"No. Santana, no they're not." She shook her head firmly, "They _really _aren't. That was the worst date I have ever been on. Frankly, I think we're both lucky to actually still be together after such a terrible start."

"See? That's the underwear." Santana's countered proudly, giving the blonde a cheeky wink.

Quinn rolled her eyes, taking a deep breath, "No. No it isn't. Your skanky cursed pants are not jinxing Rachel! Go take them off."

"Ugh! Fine." Santana pushed herself off the sofa, rolling her eyes, and strode off towards the bedroom.

Quinn stood, wandering across to the mirror and checking her reflection, before her phone buzzed in her bag. Pulling it out, she scanned the text from Jess.

**We're outside. Puck, Sam n Summer in other taxi. Hurry :D J xx**

"Jess just text me!" She called down the hallway, "They're in the taxi outside; are you ready?"

"Yes." Santana smiled politely as she exited the bedroom, tugging at her dress until she was comfortable.

"And you put on some more appropriate underwear?" Quinn quirked an eyebrow as the brunette grabbed her bag from the sofa and walked straight past her.

The blonde followed behind as Santana reached the door, pulling it open for her with a shake of her head, "Nope."

"What?" Quinn stopped in the doorway, unimpressed, "You left the _un_-lucky underwear on?"

Santana gave her a sweet smile before leaving the apartment and beginning to wander down the hall to the stairs, "Nope." The blonde's jaw dropped, and she stood awe-struck for a moment before Santana reappeared on the stairs, "Are you coming?" She raised her eyebrows and Quinn nodded dumbly.

"Um, yeah." She gave her head a small shake before grabbing her keys and following after the brunette.

-ooOoo-

"Oh my God. I am so excited!" Brittany was practically bouncing as they loitered in the foyer.

"I know, right?" Santana grinned, "I can't believe Rachel is going to be on _Broadway. _In a _Sondheim!_" She clapped her hands together, bouncing up and down on her toes, and Quinn's nose wrinkled with endearment as she watched the girl's excitement.

"So who is she playing?" Puck asked, frowning down at the program he'd bought, "In fact, what is this whole thing even about?"

"Okay," Santana held her hands out, palm-down, and took a deep breath, "It's about this guy called Bobby, he's a commitment-phobe who can't hold down a relationship, but it's his thirty-fifth birthday and all his friends are married and stuff. He has three girlfriends who he can't commit to."

"Is Rachel one of the girlfriends?" Sam asked, peering over Puck's shoulder at Rachel's headshot.

"No." Jess shook her head, "She's Amy, this neurotic friend who's getting married."

As she spoke, a bell rang out and a theatre steward opened the double doors nearest to them. Sam stepped up, offering the man the strip of tickets, and the steward checked them before nodding, passing them to another steward who led them to their seats.

"Wow. Rachel did a good job, huh?" Jess smirked, her eyebrows raised incredulously as they took their seats in the centre of the third row.

"This is my baby girl's big night, ain't no way I'm watching it from the Gods." Santana muttered to Quinn, who chuckled, her eyebrows creasing as she resisted the urge to say 'aawh'.

"Yeah, awesome view." Puck nodded.

"Hey," Brittany leaned forward to look round Sam to Puck, "Why didn't you bring Summer?" She frowned, but the boy shrugged.

"We've had these tickets for too long, Britts. It's opening night, I couldn't get an extra seat the week before." He chuckled disbelievingly as she girl nodded slowly, "Nah, I'm gonna bring her another night."

"Ooh, romantic." Jess teased, "Look at Puck getting himself a cultured, sensitive side." She winked cheekily, and they continued their chatter while the audience filed in behind them.

Quinn sat staring up at the architecture of the theatre, gazing at the private boxes and the huge ceiling rose and all the lights and equipment. Santana's knees were bouncing up and down rapidly, and eventually the blonde reached out to place a hand on Santana's knee to still the movement.

"Sorry." The brunette stilled, looking chastised.

"It's okay. Are you nervous for her?" The blonde asked in a low, knowing tone.

"A little." Santana gave a small nod, "Just imagine how she's feeling." Quinn gave her an adoring smile, but Santana's eyes were darting around the stage, "It's just, this is Rachel's dream, and it has been for as long as I've known her _and _a long time before that!" The blonde opened her mouth to reply, but Santana's tirade continued, "And I _know s_he's going to be so awesome, but I also know that right now she will be sat in her dressing room _crapping her pants._ She's just wanted this for so long, you know? What if it d_oes _go wrong? What if she chokes? She will be _so _humiliated and _devastated _and-"

"Santana, she's not going to choke." Quinn cut her off firmly, and the brunette finally turned to look at her, chewing her lip, "I promise you, she will be _incredible_. Just relax, and enjoy the show."

As if on cue, the final bell rang out through the theatre, and a few minutes later the house lights were dimming. The cast filed on stage and Santana reached out to grip Quinn's forearm as Rachel took her place on stage. The blonde winced, taking Santana's hand and prying her finger-ends out of her flesh, but her wince of pain turned into a frown of confusion as the lights came up. She was watching one character in particular, her eyes narrowed.

She reached out to take Jess' programme off her lap, glancing between her lap and the stage as she attempted to follow the storyline whilst gazing down at the cast lists and headshots. Suddenly, she gasped quietly, staring intently at the stage before tapping Santana's arm insistently.

"What? Do you understand what's going on?" The brunette whispered, her eyes fixed on the stage.

"Yes, but I just realised something. _That's _that woman!" She pointed to the stage, and Santana frowned.

"You mean Joanne? She's _what _woman?"

"_She's _the woman that told me you're pretty and gave me a hundred dollars!" Quinn revealed excitedly, and Santana finally looked away from the stage, her jaw dropping slightly.

"No way!"

"Yes way! I recognised her in the program." The blonde replied, placing said program back on Jess' lap.

"Are you kidding me? That's Ginny O'Cloud! She's a Broadway _legend_!" Santana hissed excitedly, and Quinn nodded slowly.

"Oh. Okay. I didn't know." The blonde shrugged, giving the stage her full attention again.

"Yeah, we'll ask Rachel about it later." Santana nodded absent-mindedly, her eyes glued to the stage once more.

-ooOoo-

"Ooh! This is it!" Santana whispered in Quinn's ear as Rachel took to the stage with the dark-haired man playing Bobby and a light-haired male playing Paul.

"Her solo?" Quinn asked, watching the stage and slipping her hand into Santana's as the brunette nodded excitedly. She gave Santana's hand a quick squeeze, excitement building in her stomach.

"Oh my God, this is it." Santana breathed, her wide eyes glued to Rachel in the darkness as the lights rose on another woman in the centre of the stage.

"Bless this day, pinnacle of life. Husband joined to wife. The heart leaps up to behold this golden day."

"Amy, I can't find my shoes!" Came a shout from off-stage, and the stage was illuminated to show Rachel sat holding up the shoes as the light-haired boy entered the stage and began to sing, "Today is for Amy. Amy, I give you the rest of my life. To cherish and to keep you, to honor you forever. Today is for Amy, my happily soon-to-be wife." He knelt beside Rachel, who was smiling unnaturally, "Amy, we're really getting married!" He enthused, and Rachel nodded consistently.

As the man left the stage, her nod became a violent head-shake, and the audience chuckled as she stood up, crossing to the centre of the stage. "Pardon me, is everybody here? Because if everybody's here, I want to thank you all for coming to the wedding, I'd appreciate your going even more, I mean you must have lots of better things to do, and not a word of this to Paul, remember Paul, you know,  
>the man I'm gonna marry, but I'm not, because I wouldn't ruin anyone as wonderful as he is-Thank you all for the gifts and the flowers. Thank you all, now it's back to the showers. Don't tell Paul, but I'm not getting married today."<p>

Her singing trailed off and she raised her hands to give the audience an unconvincing double thumbs-up. Santana felt her anxiety lift as the audience laughed again, and she glanced around the people sat near her, feeling comforted by their content expressions.

The first woman began singing again, and Rachel's face dropped. She turned to the woman, attempting to shush her and making neck-slitting motions. When the woman continued singing, she turned back to the audience, glancing around awkwardly and brushing imaginary lint off her dress.

"Amy! Paul can't find his good cufflinks." Bobby appeared back on stage, looking harassed, and Rachel beamed brightly.

"On the dresser." She grinned, but her expression hardened as he exited, and she turned back to the audience with a grimace "Next to my suicide note.

"Listen, everybody, look, I don't know what you're waiting for, a wedding, what's a wedding?" Rachel shrugged desperately, "It's a prehistoric ritual where everybody promises fidelity forever, which is maybe the most horrifying word I ever heard." She shook her head with a horrified comical grimace, "Which is followed by a honeymoon, where suddenly he'll realize he's saddled with a nut, and wanna kill me, which he should."

She smiled politely, "Thanks a bunch, but I'm not getting married. Go have lunch, 'cause I'm not getting married. You've been grand, but I'm not getting married." She shrugged, her casual demeanor slipping into desperation again, "Don't just stand there, I'm not getting married-And don't tell Paul, but I'm not getting married today!"

She grinned before swallowing hard and sighing impatiently, "Go, can't you go, why is nobody listening? Goodbye, go and cry at another person's wake." She spat, "If you're quick, for a kick, you could pick up a Christening," she clasped her hands together, slowly lowering herself down to kneel on the stage, "but please, on my knees, there's a human life at stake!

Suddenly, she was insistent, her expression serious as she crouched on the floor, slowly getting lower and lower as she sang, until she was laid despondently on the stage. "Listen everybody, I'm afraid you didn't hear, or do you want to see a crazy lady fall apart in front of you?" She raised her arms before dropping them at her sides again, "It isn't only Paul who may be ruining his life, you know we'll both of us be losing our identities! I telephoned my analyst about it and he said to see him Monday, but by Monday I'll be floating in the Hudson with the other garbage!"

She grimaced as if she wanted to cry, climbing back to her feet, and the audience laughed as her next line came out sounding strangled, "I'm not well so I'm not getting married. You've been swell, but I'm not getting married. Clear the hall, 'cause I'm not getting married. Thank you all, but I'm not getting married. _And don't tell Paul_, but I'm not getting married today."

She held up her hands with an air of finality and made to exit the stage, but the woman behind her began singing again. Rachel paused, sighing impatiently and turning to look at the choirgirl. She stepped back slowly until she was sitting on the prop sofa, her hands clutching at her veiled head as she rocked backwards and forwards. Eventually, she stood once again, crossing to the on-stage conductor and tapping him on the shoulder exaggeratedly. As the choirgirl continued, she took the baton from the conductor and headed back to the front of the stage, snapping the baton over her knee with an expression filled with desperate rage.

Santana chuckled, and Brittany leaned forward to grin proudly at the brunette, who beamed back at her. The light-haired man appeared on stage again, singing his verse as Rachel continued, "Go, can't you go? Look, you know I adore you all, but why watch me die like Eliza on the ice? Look, perhaps  
>I'll collapse in the apse right before you all. So take back the cake, burn the shoes and <em>boil the rice<em>." She spat out, but she was suddenly serious again, raising a hand to her chest and looking sickly, "Look, I didn't wanna have to tell you, but I may be coming down with Hepatitis, and I think I'm gonna faint. So if you wanna see me faint, I'll do it happily, but wouldn't it be funnier to go and watch a funeral?" She began counting on her fingers, her expression panicked, "So thank you for the  
>twenty-seven dinner plates, thirty-seven butter knives, forty-seven paperweights, fifty-seven candleholders-"<p>

The song was brought to a climax as Rachel's voice intertwined with the light-haired man's and the sound of the on-stage choir, and the tiny brunette belted out her last line with vigour "Let us pray that we're not getting married today!"

As the music ended, Rachel collapsed dramatically onto the floor, and the applause began. The audience applauded louder than they had for any other number, and a grin split Santana's face in two as relief washed over her. She leaned forward to look down the line at her friends, and saw the pride in all of their faces. She clapped her hands together until they were red and felt raw, but her heart felt like it was soaring as Rachel sat back down and the scene continued. She sat back to watch, feeling much less stressed as she had before. Now that Rachel's big solo number was over she could relax, and the bubble of pride in her chest refused to dissipate for the rest of the night.

-ooOoo-

As the curtains closed at the end of the first act, Quinn gestured to Jess and the girl handed over her program once again, and the blonde immediately began flicking through to find the bio of Joanne. "Oh my God, San. You're totally right; Ginny O'Cloud." She nodded as Santana smirked, self-satisfied. "Wow! Yeah you're right, she has _so many _acting credits!"

"Who does?" Jess asked, looking over Quinn's shoulder. Brittany and Puck had gone to use the bathroom whilst Sam was picking up the drinks they had pre-ordered.

"The woman playing Joanne is called Ginny O'Cloud." Santana filled her in, "She's a Broadway legend. To be honest, I can't believe Rachel never told us." She frowned, but Jess shook her head.

"No, she told us. But I don't really know who this Ginny woman is so…" She trailed off with an awkward shrug, and Santana rolled her eyes.

"Ugh, you people are cultural amoebas." She replied, and Quinn snorted.

"Well, either way, being a Broadway legend is clearly going well for her seeing as she gave me more than a _ninety dollar_ tip." The blonde replied, wide-eyed, and Jess' jaw dropped.

"Oh my God, why?"

"Because I'm pretty." Santana interjected proudly as Puck and Brittany returned from the bathroom and took up their seats once again.

Jess frowned at Quinn, who was rolling her eyes, before raising an eyebrow, "Because she's pretty?"

"As irritating as it is," The blonde admitted reluctantly, "She's telling the truth. This…Ginny woman gave me a hundred dollars to treat my 'pretty lady'."

"Wow." Jess deadpanned, "You know, I was _just_ thinking, if only somebody Santana looks up to and respects would pay her a compliment and make her _even more _over-confident and big-headed. Awesome."

"Are you sure it's her?" Santana asked with a frown, ignoring Jess' insult.

"Yes. I'm positive. I recognise her smile." Quinn nodded firmly.

"Didn't you say she was like eighty or something?" Santana asked doubtfully, but the blonde shrugged.

"So I _might _have been exaggerating. And she wasn't wearing any make-up." She frowned, "I mean, I _think _it was her. I'll ask Rachel later." She added with a shrug as Sam returned and handed out drinks.

"So how good was Rach, huh?" He announced with a huge grin.

"She was amazing!" Jess gushed, "So funny."

"Yeah, I didn't realise the Hobbit had personality." Santana sarked, but Brittany rolled her eyes.

"Oh give it up, San. Everyone saw you light up." She raised an eyebrow challengingly, and Santana paused thoughtfully before sighing.

"She was amazing!" The brunette admitted, grinning. She bounced her legs up and down happily, clapping her hands together, "Ugh, she was so _funny _and talented. And did you hear the audience? She got the most applause yet, I'm _sure_."

"Yeah she did!" Puck nodded enthusiastically, "Of course she did."

"That's our girl." Jess winked, "But you're right, she was way funnier than I thought she'd be…although," she frowned, "that could be because I had no idea what Company was about."

"Yeah, me neither." Quinn agreed, "I'd never seen it, but you know what? It _is_ pretty good. And I'm very proud of Rachel."

"I can't wait to see her after the show." Brittany grinned, "I will crush her." The group frowned, and Sam raised an eyebrow, so the blonde hurried to correct them, "A hug. In a hug, I mean."

"Oh, okay." Sam nodded, "Yeah, me too. I can't wait to congratulate her." He grinned proudly as the lights went down again to signal the start of the second act.

-ooOoo-

Quinn actually found herself surprisingly attached to the characters as the show went on. By the finale of the show, her heartstrings were tugging for Bobby. The dark, curly-haired actor was on the stage, surrounded by the other cast members and singing his life-affirming solo whilst the others spurred him on. Her heart swelled as he sang.

"Someone to crowd you with love. Someone to force you to care. Someone to make you come through, who'll always be there, as frightened as you. Of being alive. Being alive. Being alive. Being alive." She slipped her hand into Santana's, squeezing gently as a small lump formed in her throat.

The brunette turned to smile at her, and she grinned back. Santana leaned over to her, "Are you ok?" She whispered in her ear, and Quinn nodded.

"I love you." She whispered back. Santana looked a little shocked, but pleased, and she grinned as she replied.

"I love you, too. Have you enjoyed it?"

Quinn nodded enthusiastically, and they turned back to the stage.

"Somebody, crowd me with love. Somebody, force me to care. Somebody, make me come through,  
>I'll always be there." The dark-haired boy had tears in his eyes as he sang, "As frightened as you.<br>To help us survive being alive. Being alive. Being alive!"

The music came to a climax, and the audience erupted in a standing ovation as he finished the song. They sat through the finale and the bows, all of them rising to their feet to whoop and cheer when Rachel took her bow. The tiny brunette had tears in her eyes as she gazed out into the huge auditorium, her chest contracting as a huge lump formed in her throat. Her gaze found her friends and she scanned their faces in turn, grinning down at them as she swallowed back the tears. Rachel's was one of the loudest rounds of applause, aside from the curly-haired boy playing Bobby and the infamous Ginny O'Cloud.

As the curtains were drawn closed, they stood and made their way to the foyer to wait for Rachel. They watched the rest of the audience file out through the various exits, heading up to the bar to get drinks and wait. After what felt like an hour, Rachel finally emerged from the backstage door.

"Hey, guys!" She greeted with a huge grin. Within seconds they were all out of their seats and hurrying towards her, Santana in the lead. She grabbed the tiny girl, wrapping her arms around Rachel's waist and lifting her high off the ground. Placing her back down as the others crowded round, they were crushed in a huge group hug as everyone congratulated her.

Eventually, the group stepped back and Rachel was left beaming in front of them.

"You," Sam wrapped an arm around her neck and placed a quick kiss on her cheek, "Were absolutely incredible."

"You were so funny, Rach." Brittany gushed, "I loved it."

"I have never seen Company before, and you definitely gave me a good first impression." Quinn grinned.

"Oh my God, thanks you guys." She shook her head disbelievingly, "Part of me can't even believe that I've just done that whole thing. Mostly I can't believe that rehearsals are over!" She chuckled.

"Well, all your hard work paid off." Jess nodded, "And now I can officially say that one of my best friends is a Broadway star!"

"Working alongside some incredible people, by the way." Santana added, "Why didn't you tell us that _Ginny O'Cloud_ was playing Joanne? Jesus!"

"Talking of which," Quinn interjected before Rachel could reply, "Did you ever tell her about my bakery or anything?" She asked with a small frown. Rachel looked confused, but nodded.

"Um, yeah." She looked over to Santana, "I didn't tell you because I wanted it to be an _awesome _surprise. And by the way, she is _so_ lovely and wise. She gave me some great advice before the show, I was _so _nervous." Quinn resisted the urge to sigh as Rachel babbled, "_And_ yes I did tell her about your shop, why?" The girl eventually turned to the blonde, who nodded.

"I _see_. I was just wondering because she came in that's all, and it was a little odd." She shrugged contentedly, but Rachel frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"She just, she left a really big tip that's all." Quinn shrugged it off and Rachel nodded thoughtfully as Santana leaned in with a beaming grin.

"It was coz I'm pretty." She winked as the door behind Rachel opened again.

"Hey!" The curly-haired man playing Bobby appeared behind them and pulled Rachel into a hug. Sam's brow furrowed but Rachel stepped back, her arm still around the boy, to introduce him.

"Guys, this is Blaine. As you know, he was playing Bobby."

"Hi, it's nice to meet you." He grinned, "Did you enjoy the show?"

"Yeah, it was awesome." Sam replied tightly, and Rachel sent him an odd glance.

"You were really good," Jess nodded, "You're a great singer."

"Awh, thank you. Well I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves. Hopefully I'll see you again." He grinned at them all once again before turning to Rachel, "Are you coming to the after-party?"

"Yes, we'll all be there later. I think we're going to have a drink here first though. But I'll catch up with you later." She nodded before giving him another hug, and he waved his goodbyes before leaving the theatre.

"So who's that guy?" Sam asked, his jaw tensed.

Rachel frowned, "Um, I just told you. He's Blaine. He played Bobby. In the show you've spent the last two hours watching?"

"Yeah." Sam nodded, scowling, "So what's his deal?"

"I don't want to interrupt," Brittany grimaced apologetically, turning to Sam, "But I'm pretty sure he's gay."

"He is." Rachel added, rolling her eyes, "So calm yourself down." She chuckled, leaning up to give Sam a comforting kiss, but the boy still looked disgruntled.

Puck nudged him, giving the blonde boy a warning scowl, and Sam took a deep breath, his expression clearing as the girl's catted.

"So where's the after party?" Quinn asked, her eyebrow raised.

"Oh, it's at this super-trendy champagne bar a few streets over." Rachel told them with a grin, "We can have a drink here first or go straight there?"

"I'm easy." Santana shrugged, and Quinn snorted.

"Whatever you want." Jess shook her head, "We can go straight there if you want to go hang out with all your cool actor friends." She teased, and Rachel chuckled.

"Okay, shall we go straight there then?"

"Sounds good to me." Puck nodded, "However, do they sell beer in champagne bars?"

Quinn nodded with a chuckle, and they filed out of the theatre in the direction of the after-party.

As they wandered the streets, Santana found herself walking beside Rachel as the others chatted around them.

"So…" she announced her presence, her arms crossed, and Rachel turned her head to grin at her.

"What?" She raised her eyebrows expectantly, "Is now where you tell me all of the ways I could have been less 'shrill and annoying'"

Santana gave a soft chuckle, watching the ground as they walked and shaking her head, "No. Not at all."

"Okay…" Rachel said cautiously, a small smile playing around her lips, "So what do you want?"

Santana took a deep breath, "I just wanted to tell you that you were incredible. We met a long time ago, and I know you've dreamed of tonight since a long time before that." She gave the girl a genuine smile, "And I know this was one of the biggest nights of your life. So I feel like you should know that not only were you incredible, but you were also_ far_ better than you have _ever _been before. You've outdone yourself, and I'm glad I've got to follow your dream with you." She grinned suddenly, "Okay, I've said my piece now. Let's never mention it again."

"No problem." Rachel nodded with a wry smile, "But thank you. You've been an endless ocean of support, and I couldn't have done it without you. It's nice to be believed in, and I'm glad I did you – and myself – proud." She wound her arm between Santana's to link at the elbow as they walked, "It was amazing to have all you guys there tonight. Especially you and Brittany; you've both just been the best friends I ever could have asked for." She paused to sniff, and Santana gave a small sigh.

"Oh, God! Don't be tearing up down there!" She nudged the girl with her elbow, "This is a night of happiness and celebration! No crying."

"They're happy tears!" Rachel defended, blinking them away with a small chuckle, "Sorry. It's just that, I'm really thankful for everything you guys have done for me. To get me where I am now. So thanks."

"No problem, I'm awesome." Santana shrugged casually, and Rachel giggled, pulling her arm away in mock-offence as they reached the doorway of the after party venue. Santana gave Rachel's shoulders a squeeze before breaking off to wait for Quinn, taking her girlfriend's hand with a squeeze as they entered the champagne bar.


	56. Life

_Rachel_

Last night was by far the best night of my life.

I would say it was almostworth being sick for two days beforehand. _Almost_ – let's not get carried away. Nothing will _ever _be worth being so ill that _Santana_, of all people, had to literally undress me. Something I may never forgive Sam for. Although it's comforting that he also was laid in his bathroom, only he was expelling bodily fluids from both ends and with no one to change his underwear for him. So at least someone had it worse than me.

Thankfully, Santana has the fear-factor going for her which means that nobody has mentioned it since. Hopefully my newfound Broadway success will earn me respect from my fellow peers and deter them from teasing me for at least twenty years, or when I'm not horrified by the memory – whichever comes first.

I _was_ worried that today I would feel, not lost, exactly, but a little forlorn. The day after opening night is always such an anti-climax. I may be _slightly_ hungover from the after-party, and although I have another show this evening (and most evenings until the end of the run), I have to admit that I was scared the excitement would be gone now that the initial excitement is over.

However, my two best friends have come through for me once again. Not only have they been endlessly supportive on my journey to stardom, but they've also still stuck around to entertain me afterwards. Which is very kind of them.

We've spent all day watching stupid TV shows and reminiscing about the old days, and it's been the best day-after-opening-night I could have wished for. Copious amounts of ice cream have cooled me down through this ridiculous heat, and doing absolutely nothing has definitely aided my hangover. Along with the aspirin Santana forced me to swallow down.

I can't help but feel warm and fuzzy inside. I have my dream job, working with insanely talented people; incredible friends who have incredible girlfriends who are also my friends; an amazingly sweet boyfriend who I love and who loves me, and who I'm moving in with _very _soon. Life could not be better, for me _and_ my friends. Jess and Brittany are insanely successful, Santana is happier than I've ever seen her, Quinn's cupcake shop is thriving; we've barely heard from Puck as he's been seeing Summer so much.

We're finally growing up, and life is coming together nicely.

_Quinn_

"Hey, guys!" I enter the girls' apartment, chuckling as I see them all sprawled out in the living room.

"Hey, sweetie." Santana grins, shoving a large spoonful of ice cream in her mouth. I duck down to give her a quick kiss as Rachel flicks rapidly through the channels.

"So what have you all been doing today?" I perch on the edge of the sofa, as Brittany is laid out taking up most of it, and frown as I gaze at each girl in turn. Brittany is wearing baggy pyjama shorts and a heavy helping of Cheeto dust down the chest of her t-shirt. Rachel is sprawled on the floor, her back leaning against the sofa, and she's wearing what appears to be a zebra onesie with the top zipped down and tied around her waist, and she's fanning herself with the hand that isn't wielding the remote control, whilst Santana is wearing slouchy sweatpants cut off at the knee, and a racer-back tank top with a large '66' emblazoned on the back, accompanied by an extra 6 drawn on in sharpie.

"Absolutely nothing." Brittany chuckles happily, "We watched Toy Story."

"Then watched Toy Story again when nobody could be bothered choosing what to watch." Santana adds, rolling her eyes. I'm glad Santana's spent the day relaxing with her friends. I often worry that she resents me and Jess, and Sam and Puck. She tells so many stories about the three of them, it seems unfair that they don't get that time together anymore.

"Whatever, you were just as indecisive." Rachel counters defensively, craning her neck to look at me, "Then we went to the store and bought lots of food that I can already feel rotting my insides."

"Sounds awesome." I nod with a small giggle, reaching behind me to lift Brittany's legs up. Her legs are a dead weight as I duck under the girl's ankles and sit back on the sofa, allowing the tall blonde to drape her legs over my lap.

"But we've also been productive. We spent almost forty-five minutes coming up with a stage name for Rachel." The blonde nods enthusiastically, and I raise my eyebrows expectantly, "Oh, we didn't think of any good ones."

"Well," Rachel reasons, "We spent ten minutes doing that. Then we got bored and started coming up with rude names." She giggles, finally giving up on the TV channels and dropping the remote with a clatter.

"Sounds productive. So it's like four pm. What are your plans for the rest of the day? And where's Jess, by the way?" I ask with a frown. I feel a small pang of guilt as I realise I had totally overlooked my best friends absence.

"We don't know what to do for the rest of the day. Our next plan was pizza." Santana tells me, her eyebrows raised, "You can get pizza with us if you want, but you have to wear something more…" her eyes travel down my outfit and back up to my face. I can't resist raising an eyebrow dangerously, "…bleh."

What a compliment.

"And Jess got a call back for that audition yesterday, she's dancing all day. Although, she should be finishing soon." Brittany informs me, and I nod slowly, mouthing 'oh'.

"Jess is so lucky." Rachel muses dreamily, "She gets like, _every_ audition she goes for. It's amazing bordering on ridiculous, actually."

"Whatever, you're just jealous." Brittany teases.

"I am!" The tiny brunette agrees enthusiastically, twisting to kneel and face us, "I really am! I just don't know how she does it!"

"A _lot _of hard work." Brittany answers, shrugging with a small sigh, "But she deserves all these opportunities. Like, she'll take _anything_, no matter how short-term or bad pay. It looks good on her resume." She shrugs happily, but I shake my head.

"I don't know how you all do it. I don't think I could survive not knowing if I would have another job at the end of my current one. I need more stability."

"Me, too." Santana nods, "I like knowing that the same little shits will need me again in September, and my job is safe."

"Our jobs are safe." Rachel waves her hand dismissively, "Well, okay maybe they're not but…something else will always come along." She replies, licking ice cream off her spoon thoroughly.

"Still, I don't know how you-" I'm cut off by my phone ringing in my pocket, and I wrestle it out with an impatient frown. I glance at the name flashing on the screen, and am about to answer automatically, but I do a double-take.

"Who is it?" Santana asks in a stage-whisper, but my jaw drops open slowly as I gaze down at the name.

"It's my mom?" I reply with a frown, and Santana's eyebrow lifts as Rachel and Brittany frown. "Should I answer?"

"Yes."

"Yeah, why not?"

"No."

I glance between them as the girls all give me different answers, my heart-rate increasingly rapidly as the phone vibrates insistently in my hand. I move to press the answer button, but the phone stops ringing in my hand. What seems like a long silence follows, until Santana shrugs.

"Well, if it was important I'm sure she'll call back. You can decide if you want to answer in the mean time."

"Yeah." I frown, looking up at her, "Yeah, you're right."

_Brittany_

There's another awkward silence, only this time it is my stomach that interrupts. Rumbling loudly, it punctures the silence, and three pairs of eyes swivel to stare at me.

"So…" I begin self-consciously, "Pizza?" I grin, and Rachel rolls her eyes,

"Quinn, are you okay?" She asks, looking concerned, but the blonde nods.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. It was probably an accidental pocket-dial or something anyway." She shrugs casually.

I know very little about Quinn's relationship with her parents, but by the sounds of it from Rachel and Santana, the Fabrays are pretty mean people. We were talking about it today, actually. I know that when Russell and Judy found out that Quinn's a big gay, they were totally furious. Apparently she hasn't spoken to them since. That must totally suck. I mean, even if your parents are giant ass-hats, they're still your parents.

Luckily, my mom literally couldn't care less that I have a girlfriend. I believe her exact words were, "Oh, that's great news, honey. Ooh, and I'll never have to be an accidental grandparent! Oh, thank God! I mean, I know you're not exactly _promiscuous _honey, but it's good to know that no accidents are going to happen! Not that I'm against you having kids, of course, but at least I'll get some fore-warning, that's all."

My mom's kind of a hippy, I guess. She's very…new-age. And way too open about her sex life. It's pretty weird. But at least she couldn't give a crap that I'm riding the lesbo-train to clit-ville. Always look on the bright side.

"Yeah, why don't we order that pizza?" Santana nods enthusiastically, "Okay so Rachel, you want a vegan nince inch?" she asks breezily, and the brunette nods.

"Rachel always wants nine inches." I joke crudely, wiggling my eyebrows at the small girl by my side, who rolls her eyes in disgust. Prude.

"Brittany?" I raise my eyebrows, "What do you want?"

"Gimme an inferno, baby. Lay it on me." I grin, winking cheekily. It's not every day I can wolf down nine inches of spicy pepperoni, roasted red capsicum, jalapenos, chilli and a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheese. But some days I can. And today is one of those days.

"Cool. Q, shall we share?" Santana asks, "Chicken and sweetcorn?"

Santana hates sweetcorn. I know this for a fact. She hates it. She says it's wrong to eat something that physically will not digest. Because 'If it doesn't digest, then _surely _it is not intended to be a food?!' But Quinn likes chicken and sweetcorn pizza. So Santana eats chicken and sweetcorn pizza.

What a sucker.

Although, saying that, I hate The Vampire Diaries but I still watch it with Jess. I don't even know why she likes it. She even admits that the acting is atrocious, but apparently she read the books and is kind of attached to them. I suppose it's like 50 Shades of Grey; so bad that you just feel compelled to keep reading, even though you can literally feel the minutes of your life wasting away.

As I get lost in my own thoughts, Santana picks up her phone to call for pizza delivery.

"Hey, I'd like a 9-inch vegan please, a 12-inch chicken and sweetcorn and a…" She raise her eyebrows at me, and I panic, realising I never told her a size. Grimacing, I hold up my fingers. She waves her hands and shrugs as if to say 'what the hell is that?' and I look down, counting my fingers quickly, realising I'm holding up all ten fingers, and I drop one with a guilty smile, "A 9-inch inferno. All with fries. Yeah for delivery, thank you." She gives the address and hangs up, and I apologize shyly as Quinn takes a deep breath.

"Okay, if I'm staying for pizza, then I'm going to get something more …'bleh' to wear." She pushes my legs off her own, and I scowl as they land on the floor with a hard thud, leaning forwards to rub my bruised heel as Quinn stands upright, "So I'll be back before the pizza arrives I'm sure. I'm just gonna run and get some-"

She stops mid-sentence, staring down at her hand again, and I can hear the buzzing of her phone once again.

"Your mom?" I ask quietly, unease curling in my stomach like a snake-pit.

She nods silently, staring down at the phone, and I glance over to Santana's anxious expression.

"Quinn? Why don't you answer it?" Santana suggests, sounding resigned and shrugging sympathetically, "Life's too short."

Quinn looks to her girlfriend and I can see her bottom lip wobbling slightly, and Santana gives her an encouraging nod. Taking a deep breath, she hits the answer button and raises the phone to her ear. We all watch as she sits back down on the edge of the sofa.

"Hi. Okay... What is it? Oh …Okay." The colour slowly drains from her face as she gives brief answers, her eyes glued to the floor by her feet. My chest tightens with worry, and I glance over to Santana, whose gaze is trained unyieldingly on Quinn.

After what feels like forever, Quinn lowers the phone silently and presses the hang up button. I want to ask what her mom said, but before I can even consider opening my mouth, Quinn swallows hard and answers my question for me.

"My Aunt Clara died."

_Jess_

I'm laid in one of the best cities in the world, in the glorious sunshine, in one of the world's most famous parks.

And yet there is nowhere I would rather be other than home.

I've worked so hard to get this far, and I've achieved so much that I feel as if I'm being ungrateful. However I can't help but wish I was enjoying a proper English summer instead of melting in the stuffy New York heat. Sure, Central Park is beautiful and incredible, but…I'd rather have dry-stone walls stretching across patchwork fields and the smell of wild garlic on the banks of winding roads.

I love America, of course I do. Otherwise I would never have moved here. Well, actually I moved here to get better dancing opportunities but same difference. But moving thousands of miles away from home isn't without its drawbacks, and like any long-distance move, it can get lonely.

Of course, I _do _have Brittany. I'm never lonely when she's around. And all of my friends. I know that I'm blessed to be surrounded by such people – they're like another family. But sometimes it would just be nice to be able to wander into my mum's kitchen and sit at the table and dip custard creams into huge mugs of tea. You can have the best friends in the world, but everyone needs their mum sometimes.

I take a deep breath, attempting to stare up at the surreal cloud patterns above me whilst the sun blinds me. The sun dips behind a cloud, and I can see clearly enough to make out a trio of birds swirling in the sky above me. I let out the sigh in a long stream, closing my eyes as the sun appears again, burning hot behind my eyelids. My entire body feels stale and sweaty from a full day at my – admittedly slightly unusual – call-back, and although I'm far too hot and my face will probably burn because I don't have any suncream with me, I can't bring myself to get off this grass.

The blades are tickling at my elbows and the backs of my bare legs, making my hair itch where my head is resting on the warm ground. I push myself up onto my elbows decisively, rummaging through my dance bag for my light hoody, and fold it up under my head with a sigh. I've decided I'm staying here for now, so I might as well make myself comfortable. Should I text Brittany to tell her I'm not heading home yet?

No; she'd only ask why.

My back is sticky, and I sit up again to get my towel from the bag, wiping my back quickly with a sigh. I feel uneasy, and unsettled. Lost. I lift my knees, legs crossed at the ankle, and wrap my arms around them, staring out at Central Park with my hands clasped. It feels so surreal here, seeing the huge New York skyline, stretching upwards behind the flat planes of grass. I'm settled on a bank by a cluster of trees, a few metres from the path, and a huge blanket of green is laid out in front of me. It's fairly peaceful, considering, but my heart still yearns for a bloody big hill next to a bloody big lake.

I could call Quinn? She'd probably cover for me and maybe come talk to me, help me out.

But as much as I love her, I just know she'd tell Santana – they tell each other everything. Santana would then feel awful, but still feel obliged to tell Brittany…and then I'm fucked. No, there's only one person to call.

I search in my bag for a few moments before finally locating my phone, laying down again and resting my head on my hoodie as I find the desired number. I wait to be put through, and finally hear the dial tone. Usually I'd let them know I was ringing in advance, and I chew my lip hopefully as the phone continues to ring. Come on. Answer, you silly woman.

"Hello?" A confused voice answers, sounding far away.

I remind myself that she _is _far away.

"Mum?"

"Jessica?" She asks excitedly, "Hello, petal! What are you ringing for?" I can hear the smile in her voice, and I close my eyes, relishing the sound of her voice. It's comforting to hear her familiar accent, the dropping of her h's and her bouncing lilt.

A lump rises in my throat, and I delay answering to swallow it down, tears pricking at my eyes.

"I just missed you, that's all." I say, almost in a whisper.

"Oh, you silly mare." She says sympathetically, and I can hear muffled sounds as she settles comfortably, "Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's really _wrong_, mum." I shrug, wiping roughly at my eyes, "I just-" I sigh heavily and she interrupts me with her no-nonsense attitude.

"Right, love. I want you to go get yourself a drink, have a sit down, take some deep breaths, and then you're going to tell me all about it and we'll see what we can do, alright?"

I nod silently, before realising she can't see me, so I take a deep breath, "Okay. Um, I'm just in Central Park, so I don't have a drink. But I'm taking deep breaths."

"Right, well that'll have to do." She replies kindly, and I smile.

"Who's that?" I hear my dad demanding in the background, and I roll my eyes.

"It's our Jessica." She replies, before dropping her voice to a still-incredibly-audible whisper, "She's a bit het up."

"I'm not het up!" I insist, but I can hear my dad harrumphing. I can picture him stood in the kitchen with a disapproving frown, bearing a half-full mug of cold tea and wearing his usual greasy overalls.

"Oh, bloody hell. Tell her to calm down. That's what she gets herself for jetting off all over the world."

I roll my eyes again, but my mum chastises him for me. "Oh, give over, you ol' grump. Sorry," She directs back to me, "Your dads rolling his eyes. Now he's rolling them again. Now he's rolling them again and going back to the garage." I take a deep breath, forcing myself not to be impatient. Maybe my mum wasn't the right choice. "That bloody garage, Jessica. I swear if he doesn't bloody do them dishes I'm filing for divorce. Then he'd have to wash his own bloody overalls and wouldn't he get a shock!"

"Mum…" I groan as she rambles on, running my hands through my sweaty hair.

"Sorry, love. Go on. Have you calmed down?" She nags, and I sigh.

"Yes."

"Right, so what's wrong then, love?"

"Okay, so I have to make a choice. A really big choice. I can't tell you what it's between, because then you'd be biased. But…what would you do if you had to decide between two things, both of which you've wanted for…as long as you can remember?" I drop my head into my hand, and my mum huffs and sighs on the other end.

"Well, people always say that you never regret the things you do, only the things you didn't. Does that help at all?"

"Um…not really?" I reply with a confused frown.

"I didn't think so." She answers disappointedly. I roll my eyes.

"Well why did you say it then?" I ask despairingly.

"Well, other people seem to find guidance in it. Never really understood, myself." She sighs again, "Right, let me have a think."

"Okay…" I'm starting to seriously regret this phone call. My mum is a lovely woman, and in lots of ways she's very wise…sadly, apparently this isn't one of those ways. Which is infuriating. "Got anything yet?"

"Right." She begins seriously, and she takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly, "Jessica."

"Yes." I match her tone.

"You've always been one of those little girls that always knew exactly what she wanted."

"Now you're rubbing it in." I interject petulantly.

"You always knew exactly where you were going, and you didn't care how much work you put in, you were going to get there. You had your dreams and you stuck to them and you worked at 'em. Not like your brother, bloody sitting around every day claiming he was looking for work."

"Oh, yeah. How is he, still at that abattoir?" I ask, side-tracked for a moment.

"Ooh, no!" She crows, "He moved on from that a long while ago, he works down at that caravan salesroom now. He bought your dad a towbar for Christmas."

"Eh?" I grunt, my eyebrows knitting together in confusion, "When did you get a caravan?"

"Oh, we haven't love."

Jesus wept.

"Right, anyway." I say impatiently, attempting to steer the conversation back in the right direction, "So you were saying?"

"What was I saying?"

"I've always known exactly what I wanted." I remind her in a monotone voice.

"Oh, yes!" She clicks her fingers and takes a deep breath, and I resist the urge to chuckle disbelievingly, "You had your dreams and you worked hard and look where you are now! Living it up in that Big Apple. And you love your job don't you? Every time we talk to you you tell us about what newest job you've had, and how much fun you're having."

"Yeah, I know."

"So, the big question is…your big dream. Have you achieved it?"

I frown, "What do you mean?"

"Well, this big dream that you've had your heart set on for forever. Has it come true now?"

"Well, some of it has." I shrug, "I mean, I am living out my dream, but…I don't know if that's it completely come true and over with?" I frown, resting my temple on the heel of my hand.

"Well then. If it's not come true yet, don't you dare bloody stop until it has." She tells me firmly, and I chuckle quietly, "If my favourite daughter's moved thousands of miles away to follow her dream, she'd better not bloody give up on it. Otherwise I'll be bringing you straight back home."

"I'm your only daughter." I point out.

"Accept the compliment." She replies instantly, and I chuckle again.

"Yeah, you're right. Okay." I nod decisively, taking a deep breath, "Thanks, mum."

"No worries, petal. Anyway, I'm assuming you have to get back to your busy, big-city life. Do you want to talk to your dad before you go?" She asks doubtfully.

"Nah, I'm alright. I have people here who can lecture me about cars and grunt at anything else." I respond, thinking fondly of Puck.

"Well then, I've got a crumble in the oven so I'm going to have to go, if that was all you wanted?" She asks kindly, and I nod.

"Yeah, that's everything. Get back to your domestic country bliss." I joke, and she snorts.

"I bloody wish. Anyway, talk soon, my darling."

"I'll ring you again soon. Love you lots."

"I love you, too, flower. Don't you worry. It'll all work out."

"Okay, bye for now."

"Ta-ra, love!"

She hangs up and I take a deep breath, sighing heavily as I throw myself back onto the grass. As much as I hate to admit it, I know my mum's actually right. I feel sick as I consider what this means now.

I have to talk to Brittany.

_Santana_

I am so lost. I have no idea what to do, no idea how to take away the pain that is written all over Quinn's face. We left Rachel and Brittany's straight away, heading straight home. She held it together for that long, her face blank and impassive, until we crossed the threshold to the apartment. Since then she's been curled up on the couch, a small pile of scrunched-up tissues growing steadily beside her.

I've never really had to deal with death before, honestly. I still have two grandparents, and the others died when I was too young to understand, or before I was born. I don't know what to say, how to be of any comfort. At the moment I'm freaking out a little, if I'm honest, but I know I need to pull myself together for Quinn's sake. I wonder how Rachel is coping with Sam. She called him before we left, and he said their mom had just called him, too. She was getting changed as we left, ready to go over to his apartment and comfort him. If only I could text her.

"Hey, sweetie." I sit myself beside a sniffling Quinn on the sofa. Her face is blotchy from crying, and there are raw, red circles around her watery eyes.

"It's not fair, Santana." She shakes her head with a loud sniff, staring down at the tissue in her hand as she shreds it.

"I know it isn't, sweetie." I reply sympathetically.

"I only saw her today." She cries disbelievingly, the tiny shreds of tissue fluttering around her ankles, "I was _with her _like…a few hours ago! She was fine!"

"I know you were. But, isn't that also a little bit of a silver lining?" I shrug hopefully, "At least you got to see her again?"

"I just can't believe it." She whispers, her eyes wide, "She was fine."

I nod silently as she gazes down at the sofa beneath her, and I sit back on the sofa, staring up at the ceiling. "I'm sorry, Quinn. I just, I don't know what to say."

"Me neither." She shrugs, looking hopeless, "I just can't believe that one minute she was fine, and the next minute…I'm…I'm never…" Her voice becomes hoarse and I reach out to her, placing my hand on her knee as she trails off, "How can she just be gone?"

"I don't know. Life is…very unfair." I shake my head slowly, and she nods her agreement.

"She was _fine._" Quinn reiterates, and I nod silently, "We were sitting in her garden! She was telling me all about what she was going to do out there, what she was going to dig up and move, what she was going to buy for out there. It's just so surreal. Now she isn't going to."

The tears begin streaming down her face again, and I shift closer to her, lifting her legs to move as close as possible. I place her legs over my own, wrapping her up in my arms and she clings to me, her arms around my neck. I can feel a wet patch of tears spreading through my t-shirt, but I don't care. I tighten my hold on her, rocking gently and rubbing soothing circles on her back.

We stay there until midnight, when Quinn finally settles into a deep slumber, and I carry her to bed. I lay her out, and she stirs for a moment, her eyes blinking open.

"Hey." She croaks with a deep set frown.

"Hey, sweetie." I reply, stroking her fringe out of her eyes gently.

"Are you okay?" She asks in a whisper. I resist the urge to chuckle at the fact that _she's _asking if _I'm _okay. Then I wonder if maybe, in her slumber, she's forgotten the situation. Half of me hopes she has, because at least that means that right now, in this exact moment, she isn't feeling the pain. But the other half knows that if she has momentarily forgotten, she will wake up properly in the morning only to be crushed under the huge weight of her grief.

"I'm great. Get some sleep." I smile kindly and she nods, her eyelashes fluttering closed once again. I kiss her forehead and push myself back into a standing position, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a long sigh.

I cross to the doorway, leaning against the frame as I switch the light off, gazing at Quinn as her figure becomes a silhouette. I rub at my eyes as I wander down the hallway to the kitchen, pouring myself a large glass of wine and revelling in the sound of the liquid glugging into the glass. I twist the lid back onto the bottle, depositing it in the fridge before taking a large gulp as I make my way to the living room. I flop down onto the sofa with a sigh, ignoring the dirty tissues as I cross my ankles on the coffee table, taking another large drink.

It feels odd that I've only met Clara a handful of times. The first was, by far, the most memorable. Since then I've accompanied Quinn on her visits a couple of times, mostly just stopping by for a cup of coffee or lunch. But Clara was a nice woman. Quinn is swamped with the loss and misery, but I know that although it is unfair that it happened so suddenly, maybe it could have just been Clara's time to go. They say everything happens for a reason. At least she lived her life to the fullest, and enjoyed her life to the very end. She was a happy old thing, that's for sure, and if God needed her up there, then up there she needs to be.

I finish my wine, lost in thought as I deposit it in the kitchen. Of course I'll miss her. I remember the feeling of her smiling at me, giving Quinn and I her blessing. I remember a feeling of contentment, feeling welcome. At home. It seems Quinn takes after her aunt more than either of her parents. There isn't an unaccepting bone in her body. She genuine, kind, generous, loving, easy-going. She's perfect, to me. I wonder if anyone ever thought of Clara like this. There's a lot I never knew about her, some of it I assume Quinn doesn't even know. I wonder if anyone ever stood in the dark, gazing at her sleeping form, and thinking of how perfect she was to them. I hope so. I hope someone did. I feel like Clara deserved to be adored.

I turn the lights off and wander down the hallway, back to the bedroom, and pause in the doorway. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I can better make out Quinn's features, her lips parted slightly as she sleeps. She looks so peaceful and carefree.

Maybe Clara was loved. Like I love Quinn. Maybe not. It's possible that she never knew what it felt like to have another person by your side every day. Maybe she never achieved that feeling of being complete. The idea makes me feel forlorn, although the alternative isn't much better. If she did once revel in the throes of passion and find herself giddy with adoration, how come she ended up all alone in that big house? Although, tis better to have loved and lost.

I swallow hard as I watch Quinn's chest rise and fall in the darkness, thinking of how hard the next few days, weeks, months will be for her. And there'll be all the business of seeing her parents at the funeral, that'll be fun. I gaze at her face, forcing myself to drink in her expression in as much detail as possible. In the morning, her brow will be creased with lines of grief once again, her shoulders heavy with mourning.

One thing that can be said for death, it certainly makes you re-evaluate life.


	57. Ultimatum

**Hey, guys! Thank you so much for reading, can't believe this story has come so far.**

**Just to let you know, this _is _the penultimate chapter. Just so you acn all prepare yourselves for the end. I really can't believe how popular this story has been, and I still appreciate all of you who read and those of you who also review. Thank you all so much. I may possibly do a shorter sequel one day, we shall see.**

**Thank you!**

* * *

><p>Santana spent the morning sat alone on the sofa, her legs bouncing up and down nervously. She flitted between attempting to clean the apartment, paying no attention to obscure documentaries and playing the introduction of various songs, swiftly giving up with a frustrated groan after a few bars, and glaring at the clock.<p>

By the time she began sluggishly re-arranging both the girl's closets, it was after noon and the anxiety in her chest was beginning to form a dull ache. It was three days since the announcement of Aunt Clara's death, and they had stayed up until almost one discussing today's funeral, until Santana insisted that Quinn got some sleep in preparation for the day. After a little deliberation, they had both agreed that Santana would stay at home instead of accompanying Quinn to her aunt's funeral.

Although it was killing the brunette to not be able to support her girlfriend, Sam had been punctual to pick up his sister to drive her to the church, and had reassured Santana that he would look after her. She was counting the hours until Quinn was due home. Her phone had buzzed a few times through the morning, and it was a slight comfort to find that Rachel was feeling equally troubled. The small brunette had been unable to attend due to a morning and matinee performance, and her texts were infrequent and brief. Santana had attempted to call Brittany for some comfort, but the girl was nowhere to be found.

-ooOoo-

As much as Quinn was yearning for Santana to hold her hand as she stood outside the church, she knew that the presence of her girlfriend would only make the atmosphere within her family even more tense and difficult. Her father had not spoken to her, he merely glared from the other side of the church path, his jaw tense. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes as he clasped hands with the various attendees to the funeral, forcing herself to stop staring at the man she knew and hated so well. Sam gently squeezed at her shoulders, and she blinked back the tears that were blurring her vision.

Her mother had attempted to talk to them on arrival, sheepishly scurrying over to them when her father was pre-occupied with greeting various extended family. She tried not to resent Sam for being as warm and loving towards his mother as always, reminding herself that this was not his battle and he did not have to take a side. Which was fortunate, as he certainly wasn't taking her side. Judy Fabray had beamed at her daughter, attempting to make light-hearted small talk. Usually Quinn would shuffle awkwardly, bowing her head in shame and stuttering to please her mother. Today, however, she simply did not have the energy.

When her mother greeted them warmly, pulling Sam into a hug, Quinn had given her a curt nod and a tight smile. She had answered her mother's increasingly probing questions with mono-syllabic answers, if it all. As soon as her father had turned, frowning, to locate his wife, Judy scurried back to him like an obedient pet in fear of punishment. Sam had waved to his father, who gestured to tell him they would talk later, before his eyes scanned straight over the blonde girl. She sighed, and an odd feeling of content had spread over her as she had turned to enter the church and find a place.

It had been an odd relief to find that her father intended to ignore her all day. She had almost wanted to giggle with the revelation that she was not going to have to sit through his lectures about what she was doing with her life, his rants about foreigners and immigrants and gays. As she took up her place at a pew near the front and Sam slid in beside her, she looked up at the stained glass windows with a deep breath. Her eyes surveyed the painted glass, the light casting dappled pools of colour across the coffin, stood proudly on a pedestal in front of the altar.

Her breath caught in her throat as she finally acknowledged the large, weighty box in front of the growing congregation. It seemed wrong that her ever-present aunt should be lying there in that box. Just lying there. She sighed heavily, looking away to the font in the corner. She didn't really want to think about the box. The font was covered in ornate carvings, and she thought of all the babies that must have been christened here. Her father would be furious that the funeral was being held here, she guessed. He would want it to be held in the church back home, where the family had been getting married, and babies had been christened and loved ones had been buried for generations. It would be tearing him up to break tradition like this, but Quinn, for one, was glad that Clara had chosen her local church in New York. This way, she didn't have to travel home and stay over. She could turn up, avoid her parents as much as possible, pay her respects, and then get back to Santana as quickly as possible.

The church service felt long. Her parents had taken a pew on the other side of the congregation, closer to the front than their offspring. Every now and then she had to force herself to listen to the sing-song drone of the vicar's sermon after her thoughts of Aunt Clara had ran away with her. She would remember the woman's sense of humour, or her kind smile, or her completely un-judgemental view of the world, and a wave of emotion would hit her so hard that she thought she might curl up and die, right there on the pew. Her father would just _relish_ the opportunity to scold her for causing such a scene. Well, she wasn't going to give him that satisfaction.

She forced herself to pay attention to the rest of the service, singing the hymns as quietly and non-committedly as possible before following the coffin and procession of mourners out into the church yard. They were ushered to the front of the crowd, and Quinn stared silently down into the gaping hole in the earth in front of her as the coffin holding her aunt hovered above it. She felt desolate, and unbearably lonely. Even though Sam was beside her, his arm wrapped around her shoulders once more, and Santana was waiting for her at home, and all her friends were only a phone call away, she could not supress the need to be held by her aunt. The need to see her smile, ask her a thousand questions that had never seemed remotely interesting, but now felt unreasonably important.

Her mother sniffed loudly from the other side of the grave, and Quinn could not stop the corner of her mouth lifting wryly as a disapproving frown settled on her father's features. No doubt he was feeling humiliated by her mother's show of emotion. She was tempted to throw herself onto the coffin in a ridiculously over-the-top display of grief. Her father would probably have an aneurism at the public disgrace. So maybe something good could come of her aunt's death.

She resisted a giggle. Most people would disapprove if they knew of her thought pattern, but she comforted herself with the knowledge that her aunt would have attempted to give her a chastising frown, but would not have been able to prevent a small smile. The vicar said the words of committal, and the coffin was slowly lowered down into the earth. Quinn swallowed hard, tears choking her as she forced them back from her eyes. Dirt was sprinkled over the lid of the coffin, thudding against the wood with alarming force, and the noise echoed throughout the silent graveyard.

The crowd began to thin and eventually all of the mourners had broken away until only Quinn and Sam were stood by the grave. He nodded apologetically to the grave-diggers near-by, who were waiting to fill in the hole. After gazing down at the coffin for what felt like mere seconds, she finally allowed Sam to lead her away, back to the mourners who were now huddled by the church entrance. It was a small saving grace that the day was just as bright and sunny as every other day had been recently. Though it would have reflected the mood, Quinn felt that rain would have been a cruel addition to the misery of the day. No, she was glad the sun was beaming down on her back, even if she was overheating slightly in her black dress, and Sam was complaining of sweating profusely beneath his suit jacket.

As they joined the crowd of mourners, a man in a shabby-looking suit approached them with a shy smile. He wore very round glasses with wiry frames, and his hair was thinning drastically. He was tall and lanky, his thin limbs moving awkwardly as he trudged over to them.

"Hello, I'm sorry but am I right in thinking that you are Miss Quinn Fabray?" He asked uneasily, and Quinn frowned to Sam for a second before turning back to the man with a nod.

"Um, yeah. Why?" She frowned, a sense of dread building in her stomach. What if this man was from the police? Was her aunt's death suspicious? Quinn was the last person to see her; was she going to be in trouble?

"I was wondering if I could make an appointment to see you this week. I understand this is a difficult time, and I don't mean to be disrespectful or unsympathetic." He grimaced apologetically, "But…the sooner the better, really." He shrugged awkwardly and Quinn nodded slowly.

"Um, okay. Cool."

-ooOoo-

"Hey!" Brittany grinned from the sofa as Jess entered the apartment, kicking her trainers off by the door and dropping her bag by the door.

"Hey." Jess gave her a small smile, "Um, is Rachel home?" She asked with a small frown. The blonde turned to her with a questioning eyebrow.

"No, she has shows all day. Why?"

"Oh, I just wondered." Jess crossed to join Brittany, curling up at one end of the sofa with her legs tucked beneath her. "Hey, have you heard from Quinn at all?"

"No, Santana tried to call earlier but I was busy." She grimaced regretfully, and Jess nodded quietly, "So how was your day?" Brittany asked brightly.

"We need to talk." Jess blurted, her heart thumping in her chest. Brittany paused, staring at the TV screen in front of her as she was suddenly deafened by the blood rushing in her ears. It was a cliché thing to say, and she was sure she was over-thinking this already. Of course it couldn't be anything bad. Of course not. They were Brittany and Jess, and they were perfect.

Her mouth went dry, and she reached over to switch off the TV, forcing herself into a state of calm, turning to Jess with a bright but forced grin. "What is it?"

Jess blinked a couple of times before she could answer. She watched the panic, worry and hope cross Brittany's face, wincing as she contemplated what she was about to say. "Um…yeah, we need to talk." She paused to collect her thoughts, and Brittany clasped her hands in front of her, twisting her fingers round anxiously, "Okay. Here's the thing. I am so happy with you. _So_ happy. I love you more than…anything. More than anything I have ever known." She looked down at her lap, breathing deeply.

"Yeah…?" Brittany prompted, "I love you too."

"I know you do. And we're really happy, and _you _make me happy. But, um…okay so you know the other day when I went to that audition?" The blonde nodded slowly, frowning slightly at the sudden change of subject, "Well…when I went to the call-back there was this guy there."

Brittany interrupted suddenly, "Did you cheat on me?" She asked evenly, and Jess' jaw dropped open.

"What?" She raised her eyebrows in shock, "No! Of course not!"

"Oh, okay. Sorry." Brittany replied sheepishly, "I just, I was just checking." She mumbled, and Jess couldn't resist a small chuckle.

"No. I didn't cheat on you. Anyway, there was this guy there, and he came over to talk to me…and he offered me a job." Jess looked across to Brittany, whose mouth opened slightly in delighted shock.

"Well, that's amazing! What is it? A show? Or a video?" The blonde leaned forward excitedly, and Jess smiled tightly.

"Yes, a show. It's for Cats, actually." She admitted, and Brittany made a noise of wonder, "Yeah. Exactly. It's a _really _amazing opportunity."

"So why are you only just telling me?" Brittany demanded good-naturedly, "This was days ago, we should be celebrating."

"Well, I had to think about it. So just, just let me finish." Jess gave her a small smile before taking a deep breath, her heart hammering in her chest. "So he offered me this job on Cats. He was the casting director, and he wants me to play Jemima. She's totally my favourite and I'd get to dance _and _sing. It's a new production, and they're altering the original slightly. Andrew Lloyd Webber has made some changes to the music, they've reinstated other numbers; it's a whole revision of the production. And they want me to be in it. I'd get to work with Andrew Lloyd Webber _and_ Cameron Mackintosh and _so_ many _amazing _Broadway performers." She shook her head incredulously as she gushed, her excitement showing clearly. "And I needed a few days just to think about it properly. You know, I talked to my mum and that."

Brittany nodded, "Uh-huh…so I'm sensing there's a 'but'?"

Jess swallowed hard, nodding slowly, "Yeah. Yeah there is."

The blonde reached out to place a hand on Jess' knee, gripping slightly, "What is it?" She asked apprehensively, and Jess took a deep breath.

"The show's touring. North America." She announced, her mouth twisted regretfully.

Brittany took a deep breath, exhaling silently with a small, sad smile. "I see." She nodded.

"Yeah." Jess nodded sadly.

"So what does that mean?" Brittany asked, attempting to get her thoughts straight, and to ensure that she really understood what Jess meant.

"It means…it would mean that…I'd be leaving New York. For a year. At least." The brunette stumbled over the words, trying her hardest to keep her nerve, for the blonde.

"Yeah." Brittany nodded, looking away from Jess and removing her hand. She crossed her arms over her chest, as if holding herself together, attempting to blink back tears. "Well," She stuttered, "Of course you have to do it." Jess nodded, "I get that."

"It was a really hard decision to make." She replied in a whisper, and Brittany turned her head to gaze at the brunette beside her.

"It shouldn't have been."

"It was." Jess hurried to assure her. "I have never loved anything like I love you. Don't put yourself down, Britts." She insisted with an even look, "It was the hardest decision I've ever had to make." Brittany nodded slowly, "But I _do _have to do it. This has been my dream for as long as I can remember, and I can't pass up this opportunity."

"I understand." The blonde whispered in a choked voice.

"Thank you. I just, I love New York. And you, and all of our friends. And I love my job, I love dancing. But this is more than dancing. It's…everything." She shrugged helplessly, "And I need to do it."

"I get that." Brittany nodded, "So…this sucks."

"Yes, I know it does." Jess agreed, "I'm really sorry, Britts." She added sorrowfully, "Just so you know though, there is _nothing_ that I wouldn't give to be able to do this _and_ stay with you."

"But you can't do both, and I'm less important so you're leaving New York." The blonde replied quickly, in a curt voice. Jess felt her words like a knife in her chest.

"Okay, I know you're upset…" She began but Brittany cut her off.

"Of course I'm fucking _upset, Jess!"_ The blonde shouted, rising to her feet, and Jess flinched. "Of course I'm fucking upset!" She threw down the cushion she had been holding against her chest, "I thought this was it! I thought this was it, you and me."

"But so did I." Jess interjected in a timid voice.

"Well obviously not like I did!" Brittany countered, her tone losing some of its rage. "I thought we were it. And I thought this was how it was going to be. And that eventually we'd get married and have two point four kids and move to the suburbs and as far as I was concerned there was _nothing _to stop that. We were invincible." She finished sadly, wiping at her face with the back of her hand, "But apparently, actually I was wrong. And we're not." She shook her head disbelievingly, "So thanks for wasting my time." She reached down for the hem of her t-shirt, ripping it off over her head and throwing it forcefully at Jess before storming out of the room. Rachel's bedroom door slammed shut a moment later.

Jess forced herself not to cry, listening to Brittany's sobs as she turned the t-shirt right-side-out. It officially belonged to Jess, and was emblazoned with a large design and the caption 'Peter Cotton Ale: Now with more hops.' The blonde had giggled the first time she had seen Jess wearing it on their first job together, and over time Jess had worn it less and less whilst Brittany had worn it more and more. Now it lay, crumpled and rejected, on Jess' lap.

She sighed heavily, folding the t-shirt and placing it gently on the coffee table. Sitting back on the sofa, she closed her eyes to stem the flow of tears, failing miserably. After a while, still sniffling loudly, Jess crossed to Rachel's bedroom door and announced her presence with a quiet knock.

"I'm sorry." Brittany said from within, and the breath was stolen from the brunette. She dropped her head forward to rest against the door, shaking her head.

"Don't say you're sorry. It's okay." She replied quietly. The door clicked, and Jess managed to remove her weight from the door a millisecond before it was opened. The blonde stood in front of her, her eyes red-rimmed and bloodshot. Wiping her nose on the back of her hand, Brittany swallowed hard, "I shouldn't have said those things. I was just angry."

"Brittany shut up." Jess chuckled slightly, and the blonde nodded silently. "Stop apologizing, please. Because this feels bad enough without you feeling like any of it is your fault." She averted her eyes as tears threatened again, and Brittany reached out to take her hand. They stood silently in the doorway of Rachel's bedroom. Eventually Jess sighed, turning to lead Brittany back to the sofa. "Come on, sit down."

Brittany sat beside her, reaching out and plucking the t-shirt from the coffee table, pulling it back over her head. Jess attempted to stop her heart from soaring at the gesture. _No, Jess. Stop thinking like that. Don't make this harder._

"I just, I don't know…how I'm supposed to…deal. With this." Brittany shrugged, staring at the blank TV screen. Jess nodded beside her.

"If it helps, neither do I."

"When will you leave?" Brittany asked bluntly, and Jess took a deep breath.

"I'm not sure." She answered truthfully, with a shrug, "I'm going to see them tomorrow to sign contracts and everything. The first shows will be in Chicago. As will rehearsals." Brittany nodded again, "And rehearsals could start in anything from a week to a month. I don't know yet."

"Okay." The blonde replied evenly, staring around at the apartment, "So…what's going to happen? You know…"She paused, taking a breath, "With us."

Jess stared down at their hands clasped in her lap, "I don't know." She shrugged, "I really don't. I mean, I'm going to be away for at least a year. And…there's the possibility that…_after _the US tour, there could be a world tour."

"You know what I hate?" Brittany mused, and Jess was slightly thrown by the girl's reaction.

"What?"

"I hate that…it's _such _a great opportunity. I hate it. Because I can't even hate you for leaving me, because there is absolutely no way that you could turn that down." She shook her head slowly, "No way would I let you if you tried."

"I nearly said no." Jess admitted quietly, and Brittany shook her head.

"I'm glad you didn't. Having to _convince_ you to leave me would be even worse." She chuckled slightly, and Jess smiled sadly.

"I'm glad you understand." She replied, "I'll miss you." She added simply, and Brittany finally turned her head to nod back at the girl.

"I'll miss you, too."

They were silent for a few minutes, just sitting contemplating what this would mean, until eventually Jess piped up once again, "So…what _does_ this mean? For us?"

Brittany was quiet for a moment, frowning thoughtfully before finally taking a deep breath, "I think that…you're going on an adventure. A big one. And…I don't want to be the one holding you back from that." She replied, her voice trembling slightly.

"Why would you hold me back?" Jess asked with a frown. Brittany looked up at her with a slightly pitying smile.

"Because, Jess. You're going to be off exploring the country, and maybe the _world_, and it wouldn't be fair to tie you down." Brittany shrugged sadly, "I mean…I don't want to be the one sat at home, crying over missing you and bending your ear and making you hate me because you're off having this amazing experience and I'm ruining that by being miserable and missing you."

"But I'll miss you either way." Jess pointed out, and the blonde nodded.

"Yeah, but at least you'll be able to cope with that yourself, and you'll have distractions from it and you'll make new friends. But…if you stay tethered to me then you'll have to cope with all of that _and _you'll have to cope with me missing you, and feeling guilty for leaving me behind and…I can't make you feel like that." Brittany shook her head sadly, and Jess nodded in agreement.

"Yeah…okay." She frowned, "But…" She paused to swallow, tears burning at her eyes once again, "What do I do without you?"

Brittany shook her head silently.

"I_ so_ did not see this coming." Jess admitted quietly, and Brittany shook her head in agreement.

"Well, you were a few days ahead of me." The blonde attempted to joke, but her voice cracked and she turned away, bowing her head to hide her flushing cheeks and the tears rolling down them.

"I'm so sorry." Jess repeated, but Brittany waved a hand dismissively.

"It's what you have to do. I can't be the one to stand in the way of your dreams." She shrugged, and Jess took a decisive breath.

She sat forward, lifting her legs onto the couch so she was kneeling before swinging one leg over Brittany's lap. Placing two fingers under the blonde's chin, she tilted Brittany's head back so the girl met her gaze, and brushed away the tears under the blonde's eyes with the pads of her thumbs. She held the girl's face in her hands, surveying the features that she already knew so well. Brittany dropped her hands to Jess' waist and attempted a small smile, which Jess returned with a sad exhale.

Leaning forwards, she pressed her lips to Brittany's with an urgency she had never felt before. The blonde returned the kiss, kissing Jess as if she would never see her again. It was like practice, she thought sadly, and tears began to flow down her cheeks. Jess felt the droplets wetting her own cheeks as she tangled her fingers in Brittany's hair, and the blonde clutched at Jess' waist, wrapping her arms around the girl and holding her tightly. Eventually Jess pulled away slightly, resting her forehead against Brittany's as she caught her breath, blinking through her blurred vision.

"I love you." She whispered against Brittany's lips, and the blonde nodded, biting her lip.

"I love you, too." She replied in a murmur.

Jess shuffled backwards off the blonde's lap, taking one of Brittany's hand from her waist as she found her feet. She pulled the girl into a standing position, before silently leading her through the apartment into their bedroom.

-ooOoo-

"Hey, sweetie. How are you?" Santana smiled sympathetically as Quinn entered the apartment.

"I am okay." Quinn answered deliberately. "Can we go for a walk, though?" She asked, and Santana's eyebrows raised, bemused, but she nodded.

"Of course we can. What's up?" She asked, worrying tinging her tone as she pulled on a pair of sneakers.

"Nothing much, just…I dunno, being in the church and then at the wake at my aunt's house and everything. I just think it would be nice to get some real fresh air. We could go to the park? Just let me go change." Quinn hurried out of the room, reappearing a few minutes later in a light summer dress made of bright, flowery material.

They left the apartment quickly, and Santana almost had to jog to catch up with the blonde as she hurried through the halls and down the stairs. She was still hurrying behind Quinn when they reached the entrance to the park, finally grabbing the blonde by the elbow to slow her down. She gave her a concerned look, and Quinn smiled apologetically, slowing her pace to a normal walk. Santana was grateful of this, and slid her hand down the girl's bare forearm to capture her hand, linking their fingers together.

"So, how was it today?" Santana asked with an uncertain frown.

"It was…okay. My parents were nice to Sam, my mom tried to talk to me." She shrugged casually as they rounded a corner and Santana raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? What did she try to talk to you about?" The girl asked politely, and Quinn sighed, rolling her eyes. She fidgeted her hands as they walked, running the hem of her dress through her fingers.

"I'm not really sure, I didn't really listen." She admitted with a chuckle, and Santana smiled, looking relieved. "She just kept asking questions. To be frank, I didn't really listen to anything all day."

"Yeah, I understand." She tilted her head sympathetically, "So it was a little rough?"

"A little." The blonde nodded solemnly, glancing up to meet Santana's gaze, "Just weird, I guess. I wished you were there." She added.

"Awh. I'm sorry." Santana bit her lip, but Quinn waved a hand dismissively.

"It's okay. Sam was great and at least this way there was no 'scene'." She raised sardonic air-quotes, and Santana chuckled, "So, anyway!" She added brightly, her pace growing faster once more, "I think I've had enough misery for one day."

"What do you mean?" Santana frowned, glancing at Quinn.

The blonde stepped in front of Santana, turning to face the brunette and halting suddenly. Santana frowned, coming to a stop with a look of incredulous bewilderment. She frowned quizzically at the blonde, "Are you oka-"

"Will you marry me?" Quinn blurted suddenly.

"What?" Santana's jaw dropped slightly so her mouth was hanging open, and she stood frozen like a statue, staring at the blonde.

"Will you marry me?" The blonde asked again, only this time she expanded, "I love you, with all of my heart. And all day I've been listening to people saying what Aunt Clara would have wanted. From 'she wouldn't want you to be miserable' to blatant excuses like 'Clara would want me to have another donut' and I started thinking to myself, _what would she_ actually _want?_" She held her arms wide, palm up, and looked at the park around them, "And I thought, _she would just want the knowledge that everyone she loves is happy_ _and safe_. And I am happy, and safe." She reasoned, looking back to Santana, "But I know that there's one thing that could make me even happier. So I…" She pointed to her chest, "am asking _you_…" she pointed to the brunette, whose eyes followed the tip of the blonde's finger, "to marry _me_." She gestured back to herself. Santana was still silent, staring at her, and so she continued,

"I mean, you can say no, if you want to." She shrugged, "You _can _say no, but…if you do? I'm just going to keep asking." She laughed a little as she exhaled, "I will just keep asking until one day you say yes. Because there is absolutely _no way _that I can…" she paused as if searching for the words, "…no way that I can _live my life_ without constantly pestering you to be my wife. Because that is the only thing that could ever make me completely happy." She swallowed hard. Her heart was thumping and she could feel her fingers shaking as she spoke, "Although, I'm sorry this is so sudden." She frowned, grimacing guiltily, "I mean, I don't even have a ring. So that sucks. I'm really sorry. If you want I can wait until I do? Have a ring?"

Santana shook her head, dumbstruck, as Quinn continued to ramble.

"Yeah, I wasn't really planning this. And it's not very well thought-out. I'm sorry I don't have a ring." She was glancing around her as if she might find one suddenly, in the middle of the park. "Wow, this is the worst proposal ever." She looked aghast, meeting Santana's gaze again, with a disgruntled expression.

"No it's not." Santana hurried to tell her. Her voice sounded blank, and she shook her head, her eyes still wide and disbelieving.

"I'm sorry. Just, rest assured, I Would have a ring if this wasn't so spur of the moment. But, the bottom line is, I love you." She shrugged helplessly, "I have never ever loved anyone like this, and I can't imagine not waking up to you every single day of my life. And if I had to, I just couldn't bear it." She looked around once more, before pulling her cardigan off her shoulders, folding it neatly into a square and placing it on the ground between them. Santana frowned as she watched the blonde, who placed one knee on the folded cardigan and bent the other in front of her. "I might not have a ring, but I can still get down on one knee." She chuckled, but Santana's eyes narrowed.

"Wasn't that cardigan kind of expensive?"

"Yes, but that is not important." Quinn bluffed, "Anyway-"

"Are you worrying that it's getting dirty?" Santana raised a knowing eyebrow

"Yes, but anyway-"

"Do you want to get up and pick it up off the floor?" She asked expectantly.

"Yes, yes I do." Quinn finally admitted, allowing Santana to take her hand. With the girl's aid, she managed to scramble awkwardly to her feet, picking the cardigan up afterwards. She stopped in front of the brunette, taking a deep breath and sighing heavily. "Will you marry me or not?" She asked simply, and Santana could see the hope in her eyes.

She took a deep breath, giving the girl a small smile, "Don't be ridiculous." She shook her head sympathetically, and Quinn's expression hardened slightly, "Of course I will."

The blonde gasped, grinning suddenly and wrapping her arms around Santana's waist, lifting her as high into the air as she could manage, spinning her in a circle before dropping her back down onto her feet, holding her close. Santana giggled loudly, clasping the blonde's face in her hands and pulling her in to meet her lips in a long, sweet kiss.

When they eventually pulled away, Quinn was grinning widely, looking vaguely disbelieving, "Oh my God. Really?"

"Of course, really!" Santana bit her lip nervously, shaking her head with a smile. "Of course."

Quinn laughed, bumping her nose against Santana's and resting her forehead on the girl's, "We totally need to go tell everyone." She grinned, and Santana nodded enthusiastically, clapping her hands together,

"Just let me ring my mom first!"

Quinn grimaced, "Just don't tell your dad; I didn't ask his permission."

"He won't care." Santana shrugged, pulling out her phone with a happy smile before looking up to meet Quinn's gaze, "I love you."

"I love you."


	58. The End

**Oh my God. So here it is, the very last chapter. It's a little longer than usual, and I hope you all enjoy...**

* * *

><p>"Hey, guys!" Quinn grinned, clasping Santana's hand as the girl tagged along behind her, giving the group a little wave as they looked up to the pair.<p>

There was a cheer of greeting from the group, though Brittany and Jess sat tensely, holding hands with tight smiles.

"So, what's so urgent?" Puck demanded immediately, and Santana rolled her eyes.

"It's hardly urgent, we gave you this invite two days ago." She pointed out as she slid into the end of horse-shoe booth beside Quinn.

"Okay, but still." Puck shrugged.

"Can we at least get drinks first?" Quinn attempted to chastise him, but her blissful expression gave her away.

"Okay, what do you want?" Sam asked, lifting his ass off the seat to pull his wallet from his back pocket.

"Beer."

"Beer."

"Here." Sam slapped a few notes into the blonde's palm, "Go knock yourself out."

Santana stood to allow the blonde to head to the bar, returning to her chair and shifting nervously as she waited for the Quinn to return. She attempted to be polite and join in as the group indulged in small-talk, but her mind was firmly wedged elsewhere.

"Okay, we're good." Quinn came back, plonking two bottles on the sodden cardboard beer mats in front of Santana and taking her girlfriend's place at the end of the booth.

"So, Quinn and I have some big news…" Santana began.

"Are you pregnant?" Rachel interjected suddenly, and the brunette turned to her with a look of incredulous bewilderment.

"What? How is that even possible?" She narrowed her eyes in confusion, but Rachel raised an eyebrow with a smug grin.

"Irritating, isn't it?" She countered, self-satisfied, and Quinn rolled her eyes.

"_Anyway_, Santana and I have some big news." She glanced to her girlfriend, her eyes dancing as she grinned nervously, "You say it."

"No, you say it. I'm too nervous." Santana shook her head vehemently.

"Okay I'll say it." The blonde took a deep breath.

"No, wait! I'll say it." Santana blurted, clutching the back of Quinn's hand to silence the girl.

"Okay, then go ahead." She grinned, anticipation building in her stomach.

"Are you sure?" Santana frowned, "Should we both say it?"

"Oh, sweet Jesus!" Jess silenced them exasperatedly, "Someone just say it!"

"We're getting married!" The brunette announced suddenly, and the group gasped as one.

Sam immediately pulled his feet up onto the seat and leapt over the back of the seat, reaching the end in a quick stride and grabbing Quinn. He pulled her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her waist and swinging her in high circles in the air. The blonde squealed, burying her face in his shoulder as she giggled, clasping him tightly.

Rachel took the opportunity to slide down the booth and enclose Santana in a bone-crushing hug of her own. Tears threatened at Santana's eyes as the magnitude of the situation hit her. Her chest felt tight and her stomach brimmed with butterflies. The smaller brunette was chattering in her ear about wedding arrangements and how happy she was for her, and Santana could not contain her grin.

Puck whooped loudly, immediately springing to his feet and patting Quinn on the back as he passed the siblings on his way to the bar to order another round of shots.

Brittany swallowed hard. She wanted so desperately to be nothing but overjoyed for the pair. She loved Santana like a sister, and Quinn was one of her best friends. But all she could feel was a huge, gaping hole in her chest. She stared across the table at Santana's euphoric expression, encompassed by Rachel's embrace. Santana was getting married. Part of her knew that she really _was _happy for the girls, but she couldn't help the raging jealousy taking over her. One thought repeatedly swam through her mind.

_It should have been us._

Her grip on Jess' hand tightened slightly as the British girl beside her began taking long, slow, deep breaths. Jess felt like she would pass out. Her mouth felt dry and her heart ached. Quinn was getting married. Her best friend was about to start a huge adventure, and she would be missing it all. She wouldn't get to plan colour schemes or go dress shopping. Would she even be able to attend the wedding? What if it took place before her tour ended, and she was stuck somewhere like Atlanta or California? Even with all these worries, she could not shake one recurring phrase from her subconscious.

_It should have been us._

Quinn and Santana sat back down, and both girls forced natural-looking grins as they did so.

"Oh my God, Sanny!" Brittany leaned over the table to give Santana a hug, "I'm so happy for you!" Her voice accidentally came out in a whisper, and she buried her face in Santana's neck to hide the tears brimming in her eyes.

"It's amazing!" Jess agreed, "When did you guys decide? Did someone propose?" She grinned from Quinn to Santana as Brittany sat back down, immediately taking her hand in a tight hold once again.

"Two days ago. I asked when I got back from the funeral." Quinn smiled, glancing to Santana with a dreamy expression. Brittany felt a sharp pain in her chest as she thought of how that day had gone for her.

"It was completely spontaneous, I had absolutely_ no_ idea what was going on." Santana chuckled, her nose wrinkling happily.

"So did you already have it planned?" Rachel asked the blonde excitedly. "Is there a ring?"

"Um…no." Quinn admitted guiltily, "To both, actually. I just, I spent the day thinking about what my Aunt would have wanted, and realised that all she would want is for me to be happy. And the only thing that could make me happiest in the world…is…Santana." She shrugged bashfully, and Santana blushed slightly, averting her gaze and biting her lip.

"Gay." Puck moaned cheekily, and Santana reached out to slap his arm.

They threw back the shots after raising their glasses to Santana and Quinn, and Jess immediately forced Puck out of the booth, pulling Brittany out by the hand and heading to the bar in order to buy more drinks.

"What do we do now?" She asked quickly, in a hushed tone, once they had reached the bar.

"I don't know!" Brittany's face twisted anxiously, "We can't tell them now."

"But when else can we tell them?" Jess shrugged, "Just wait until next week and I'll text them from the airport?"

Brittany shrugged, her expression blank, "I don't know. You're right, we have to tell them tonight. It's just, it feels kind of like a buzzkill." She grimaced guiltily, and Jess nodded.

"Well, what if we arrange to meet up with everyone tomorrow? Tell them then?"

"Tell them what?" Rachel's confused voice made both of the girls whirl round suddenly. They had been so consumed in their worries that they hadn't heard the girl's tiny footsteps behind them. Rachel was stood frowning, her eyes darting between the girls' guilty expressions, "Tell us what?"

She could tell that whatever the girls needed to tell them, it was not good news. Jess looked anxious, and tense, whilst Brittany was biting her bottom lip, which was wobbling slightly, her eyes wide.

"Um…" Jess cleared her throat quietly, "What are you doing here?"

"I-I came to help you carry drinks." Rachel looked hurt already, and Brittany felt a wave of nausea hit her.

"Well, thanks." The blonde replied brightly, grinning at the smaller brunette. "You take these two," She handed her two glasses, "And go sit down, we'll be right over and you can find out with everyone else." She tapped her forefinger against the end of Rachel's nose before smiling politely. Rachel allowed the girl to dismiss her, heading back to the table obediently with a worried glance over her shoulder.

"What was that?" Jess demanded exasperatedly.

"What? What else was I meant to say?" Brittany shrugged defensively.

"But now we have to tell them and ruin the whole night." The brunette bit her lip, looking dismayed.

"Well, we'd have to ruin everything at some point. Why not now?" She shrugged again, picking up two of the drinks and turning on her heel, leaving Jess at the bar. The brunette took a deep breath before letting out a long sigh. She looked to the three drinks left on the bar, picking them up with as little struggle as possible and turning to join the others back at the booth. She slid in beside Brittany and Puck took his seat on the end once again, whilst Rachel was glaring between the two, her face a picture of suspicion and concern.

"So," Jess began, and the group all looked to her, "I…actually also have some news."

"Ooh, what is it?" Sam asked excitedly, and Jess gave a short sigh.

"Well, I don't want to…I don't know, be a _downer_ or anything." She shifted nervously, looking between the interested faces, "And, I am _so_ over the moon for you two." She looked to Santana and Quinn, whose expression of dreamy happiness was slowly clouding over, "But, yeah. I have some news.

"Uh, the other day I was at that audition, yeah?" They all nodded, "And there was this other guy there, who wanted to talk to me. Long story short, we talked and he offered me a job. A big one."

Quinn looked puzzled, "Isn't that a good thing?"

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Santana asked with a frown.

"The job is a touring show. Rehearsals will be taking place in Chicago and…" She swallowed hard, "I'll be leaving New York. For at least a year."

"What?" There was an outcry as Puck's jaw dropped, Sam looked dismayed, Santana and Rachel's faces fell and Quinn looked gutted.

"When do you leave?" The blonde asked knowingly, in a shaky voice.

"Um…next week." Jess replied with a small, self-conscious shrug.

"What? No way, that's too soon!" Rachel shook her head firmly, her face mournful.

"I have to." Jess shrugged again, shaking her head sadly, "That's when rehearsals start and…it's just too big an opportunity not to take."

The group fell silent for a short while, Santana and Rachel eying Brittany, who stared stonily at the table-top, both hands cradling her drink.

"So…what show is it?" Sam asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Cats." Jess replied bleakly, and Quinn smiled.

"That's amazing." She nodded, glancing around the table for support, "I mean, I know we're all a little forlorn at the news, but that really is incredible."

"Yeah," Rachel agreed, "I know how much you love Cats. Who are you playing?"

"Jemima." The British girl answered, perking up slightly as the group seemed to pull themselves out of their momentary depression.

"She's totally the best one." Santana added brightly.

"Yeah, congrats, dude." Puck wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gave the girl a squeeze. Jess felt a swell of pride in her chest as Quinn reached for her hand across the table, grinning at her. Brittany placed her hand on the girl's leg, giving her a reassuring squeeze. Jess glanced to Brittany and the world seemed to stop. The blonde looked defeated, but gave her a small smile. She returned it, though it felt fake and forced. She felt a little sick every time she looked at Brittany, simply because it reminded her that, all too soon, she would not be seeing her face every day.

"Hang on." Santana frowned as the girl's exchanged their glance, "But, what about you two?" She pointed from Jess to Brittany, who gave the girl a tight smile, taking a deep breath.

"Um, actually…" Brittany began, looking round the group, "We're breaking up."

"What? Why?" Sam frowned, and Jess shrugged.

"Why can't you go long distance?" Rachel asked, her head tilted to the side sadly.

"Well, we thought about it." Jess replied.

"But…we just decided that this way would be easier." Brittany finished with a sad shrug, "People always say they'll go long distance and make it work but…I don't want to be stuck at home crying over my missing girlfriend, and Jess doesn't want to be off having this great new experience, but still being tied down by her boring girlfriend life at home. It's just," She shrugged, "It's not very feasible."

She looked back to the table, picking at the edge of her soggy beer mat.

"Oh. Okay." Santana nodded.

"See?" Jess sighed exasperatedly, "I knew this news would just put a huge bummer on the whole night. Can we please not let this ruin everything?" She looked between the dismayed faces, and Brittany nodded.

"Yeah, we're still celebrating. Quinn and Santana; you're getting married! Jess has got her dream job. This a night for celebration, come on. No gloomy faces." She glared at each of them in turn, and the group nodded.

"Okay then, a toast." Puck raised his glass, "To Jess' new dream job."

"And to the start of amazing adventures." Brittany added quietly, attempting to sound less desolate than she felt.

Their glasses tinkled as they raised them in a toast, and Jess reached out under the table to squeeze Brittany's knee. The blonde covered the girl's hand with her own, tipping her glass back and swallowing half of her drink in one go.

-ooOoo-

For Jess, the next week followed in a whirlwind of packing, making arrangements for moving her possessions into storage, ringing the various agencies she was listed with to tell them she would be unavailable for the next year, changing the address on all of her mail and staying up until the early hours every night. She was still sleeping in Brittany's bedroom, but day by day her belongings were becoming scarcer as they were packed into the boxes littering the apartment. They were staying up late most nights, even if it was just to sit on the couch watching TV, wrapped around each other. She was determined to spend as much time with Brittany as physically possible. When they did eventually go to bed, she would force herself to stay awake, gazing at Brittany's face and watching as the blonde drifted into slumber.

For Quinn, the following week was one of the best she'd ever had. Though all of her experiences were tinged with the melancholy of the knowledge that Jess would be leaving within a few days, she took incredible satisfaction from ringing her father and telling him she was marrying a Latina girl. He had ranted and raved down the phone, and she had hung up on him with a maniacal giggle before throwing herself across the sofa at Santana with a loud roar. They had also made a point of sitting down at the patio table on the roof, their accounts laid out in front of them, to work out a likely estimate for when they could book a wedding date. The blonde had also rung the man from the funeral, who had turned out to be Aunt Clara's lawyer, and agreed to the last remaining appointment of the week.

By the time the group piled out of two taxis early on Friday morning, Jess was sure she had everything organized. There was barely a trace of her left in the apartment once the moving men had taken all of her belongings into storage. Whilst Jess was out buying a few extras for the tour, Brittany had stood in the middle of their bedroom, staring around at the blank walls and surfaces. It looked exactly like it had before Jess had moved in, bar a handful of photos of the two that were stuck to the collage on the headboard of the bed. If she sat on the end of the bed, it was as if Jess had never been there at all. The thought depressed her.

They made their way through the huge, airy atriums of the airport, scanning the departures boards and following directions until they finally found the gate that Jess needed. They still had half an hour before the flight would be called, but Jess was shifting anxiously. It was also the day of Quinn's appointment with the lawyer, and although it was scheduled for nine, and Quinn had promised she would be done in time, she had still not arrived.

"I can't believe you're actually leaving." Rachel pouted, "It's so sudden."

"I know, right?" Jess nodded, "I can't believe it either."

They were all sat in a row on the uncomfortable metal chairs by the gate; Santana, Brittany, Jess, Rachel, Sam, Puck. After a few minutes, Puck got bored, and went with Sam to buy snacks. Jess and Brittany's hands were clasped tightly between them, whilst Rachel chattered about her reviews.

"I think they should be being published today or tomorrow, I can't remember which day Blaine said. Either way I'm sure he'll have a copy that I can read. I wonder what they'll have all said. I hope I don't get awful reviews; that would just be soul-destroying…"

Santana nudged Brittany's knee with her own as Rachel rambled in the background. The blonde looked up, her eyes wide, and Santana gave her a small smile. "You ok?" She mouthed, her eyebrows raised in concern.

Brittany nodded with a small smile, turning her head back to look down at the floor. The girl had been downtrodden ever since the news had broken that Jess was leaving, and Santana was beginning to worry. She wouldn't expect any other reaction. If it was Quinn that was leaving, she would be completely heartbroken. She supposed Brittany was. She slid her hand over towards Brittany, covering the girl's hand with her own. The blonde gave her a small smile of thanks before turning back to stare at the floor.

"I hope Quinn makes it." Jess bit her lip, frowning heavily and bouncing one leg nervously.

"She will." Santana nodded confidently, "She wouldn't miss it for the world."

"But what if she gets delayed in traffic or something?" Jess leaned forward to look round Brittany, but Santana raised an eyebrow knowingly.

"Jess. Don't worry about it. She'll be here. I promise."

She stared at Santana for a moment before taking a deep breath and nodding, sitting back in her chair. Puck and Sam returned a moment later, handing out packets of M&Ms to the group and taking their seats again.

_Good afternoon passengers. This is the pre-boarding announcement for flight 3473 to Philadelphia. We are now inviting those passengers with small children, and any passengers requiring special assistance, to begin boarding at this time. Please have your boarding pass and identification ready. Regular boarding will begin in approximately ten minutes time. Thank you._

"That's my flight." Jess said blankly.

"What? I thought you were going to Chicago?" Rachel asked, frowning in confusion.

"I am but there's a stopover in Philly. I couldn't get a direct flight." She shook her head as other passengers with children began milling around and heading for the gate.

"So, won't they announce for you to board next?" Sam asked, frowning and looking over to the gate on the far side of the room.

"Yup." Jess nodded tensely, not moving.

Puck and Santana looked uneasy, and the boy pulled his phone out to send a quick text to Quinn, informing her that they were calling for people to board the flight. He had just hit send, when a split-second later the blonde came bustling in to the waiting area.

"Jess? _Jess?_" She was calling hurriedly, scanning the room with her eyes, "Did I miss her?"

"Hello?" Jess waved a hand in the air, sat directly in front of the blonde, "I'm here." She chuckled, and Quinn breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Oh my God. You're still here." Quinn grinned, throwing her arms around the girl's neck, "I thought I wasn't going to see you for a year. I was terrified!"

"Well it's all good." Jess placated her, "Take a seat." Quinn perched on the metal chair on the end, beside Santana.

"They just announced kids and invalids." Santana told her, jerking a thumb over her shoulder, "So how was your appointment?"

"Um…it was good." Quinn replied casually, but she couldn't hide her excitement. Santana narrowed her eyes suspiciously, a small smile playing around her lips.

"What? What happened?"

"Uh…I'll tell you later." Quinn grinned, reaching out to take Santana's hand. Rachel glanced along the row of girls, all linked by their clasped hands, and took Jess' in her own, joining the chain of girls.

"So are you nervous?" Rachel asked the brunette beside her.

"No, I'm pretty good with flying." Jess shrugged, "I kind of like it, actually. I like trains and road trips, too."

"What? Why?" Santana asked incredulously, "I hate travelling."

"I like that you _have _to be there, so you don't need to feel guilty for sitting on your arse doing nothing. You can just settle in with a book or game or whatever and there's nowhere else you need to be."

"Well, at least it won't be a nightmare day then." Sam shrugged, but Jess paused before nodding.

"No. Should be fine." She replied quietly, staring down at her lap.

Another announcement rang out through the room, and Jess took a deep breath. "I'll be called next I think." She frowned down at her ticket, and the group climbed to their feet, shuffling awkwardly.

"Okay, I guess I'll go first." Puck announced, stepping forward, and placing his hands on Jess' upper arms, "Jess. I have never met an English girl as awesome, hot, funny and kick-ass as you are. I know you're going to totally kick it Lloyd-Webber style. Don't forget to send me photos of hot girls in leotards. Okay?"

"Okay." She giggled, "Although I don't want to get myself some weird stalker reputation so…" She grimaced awkwardly and the boy chuckled, leaning down to wrap his arms around the small girl, hugging her tight. He ruffled her hair before stepping back, and she grimaced, straightening her messy hair as Sam grinned at her.

"Well," He shrugged, giving her a lopsided smile, "It's been awesome knowing you. I'm glad you've been given such an amazing opportunity; you deserve to go show all of North America how great you are. Go get 'em, tiger." He pulled her into a hug, lifting her up into the air and giving her a little shake before placing her back on her feet.

Jess took a deep breath, tears already brimming in the corners of her eyes, "Oh God. Who's next? I don't know how much of this I can take. Let's keep it moving before I'm a total wreck."

"I'll go." Santana shrugged, "Want me to knock you down a peg with my sassy charm?" Jess rolled her eyes, and Santana smiled, "Okay, I'll be nice. England, I've known you like a year or something crazy now, and I can honestly say it's been a pleasure knowing you."

"Oh, come on! I'm not dying!" Jess countered, throwing her hands up in the air, "I'll be coming back!"

"Yeah I know!" Santana rolled her eyes, "I know I'm still going to know you. Jesus, this is why I'm never nice. Screw you, enjoy the tour." The brunette sat down petulantly, folding her arms and looking away. Jess chuckled, shaking her head.

"Fine. I'm sorry, Santana. Please continue." She deadpanned in a sickly sweet voice.

"Okay!" Santana jumped up again, "I can honestly say it has been a pleasure knowing you. I could never imagine our gang being anything other than me, Brittany and Rachel, but from the first day I met you I thought you were awesome and fun and I like that you fitted right in and it wasn't weird or anything. You're a great friend, and I know you're going to be an even better Jemima." She pulled the girl into a hug, and Jess smiled into the girl's shoulder, "Plus, I know I'm getting married," Santana added as she pulled back, "but if you wanna send me copies of those pictures for Puck, that's fine."

Quinn slapped the girl's arm playfully and Santana grinned, wrapping an arm around the blonde's shoulders, squeezing slightly to placate her. Quinn rolled her eyes as Jess turned to Rachel, "Come on, short stuff." She grinned, "Bring it in." She held her arms open wide and Rachel stepped into them, holding her tightly.

"Ugh, I don't even know what to say." Rachel groaned as she stepped back, taking a deep breath. "I don't know, it's been amazing. I could never imagine living with anyone as good as you. You cook, you clean, you do laundry. I'm gonna miss that." She told her mock-seriously, and Jess chuckled, rolling her eyes, "No but really, you are an amazing friend, and I'll really miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Rach. All of you." She glanced around at the sombre faces and her gaze landed on Quinn, whose eyes were already wet with tears. "Oh, come here, you!" She grabbed Quinn's hand, pulling her into a tight hug, and Quinn attempted to blink away her tears as she held on to Jess.

"I'm sorry, I'm being stupid." She wiped at her eyes as they pulled away, and Jess shook her head. "It's just that…I never knew what it was like to have a real best friend. Who knows everything about you and loves you anyway and…knowing you has been incredible. You're the best friend I could ever have asked for. And I'm really going to miss you." She dissolved into tears again, and Jess wiped at her own eyes before pulling Quinn into another hug.

"I know. I'm going to miss you, too. Being a part of this little gang, and…having you as my best friend, always managed to make this big country seem less scary and lonely." Jess sniffed, "I love you so much."

"I love you, too." Quinn nodded, biting her lip in an attempt to stop her tears, "I can't believe you're not going to be here to plan my wedding." She sighed heavily, and Jess nodded.

"I know. I'm really gutted, it's going to suck being so far away when all this excitement is going on." Her shoulders slumped glumly, but Quinn shook her head.

"It'll be okay. We'll skype all the time, and if you're ever near our neck of the woods then we'll come see the show. Even if you'll be all over the country, will you still be my maid of honour?" Quinn asked nervously, and Jess gasped.

"What? Are you sure?" Her mouth was hanging open in delight. "But I'm going to be so far away! What if I can't even make the wedding?"

Quinn shrugged, "No, its fine." She glanced to Santana, "We agreed that it'll be at least a year for us to save up and plan and everything. We'll make sure you're there."

"Oh, you guys." Jess looked between them, her face softening, "Thank you." She pulled Quinn into another hug, "I can't wait. I'm going to miss you. I love you."

"I love you, too." Quinn nodded.

Another announcement rang out and Puck picked up Jess' hand luggage as they all made their way to the gate. He dropped the bag by Jess' feet as she handed her boarding pass to the girl by the door, who accepted it with a beaming grin before handing it back.

"Okay, give me more hugs people." Jess held out her arms, and the group crowded around her until she was suffocating, surrounded by her friends. When they eventually pulled away, Santana tugged at Quinn and Rachel's sleeves, jerking her head.

"Hey, um, we'll go wait by the seats again." She told Brittany and Jess with a nod. Quinn gave her best friend one last hug before they filed away to the other end of the room, glancing over at the pair nervously.

Brittany took a deep breath as Jess reached out to take her hands, "I don't even know what to say." She told her, glancing away nervously.

"Me neither, really." Jess bit her lip, staring at Brittany, "I'm really sorry it's like this, Britts."

"Yeah, me too." The blonde nodded solemnly, "But this is how it has to be. You need to follow your dream."

"Uh-huh." Jess nodded, "I love you so much. More than you will ever know. And if I could, you know I would take you with me. Keep you in my pocket." She gave her a small smile, which Brittany returned, despite the tears in her eyes.

"I love you, too." She looked down with a sigh, "Wow, I imagined this moment so many times in my head. And yet, I still didn't expect it to be this hard."

"I know, right? Me neither." Jess shook her head, her eyes burning.

"I just…I want you to know that nobody has ever made me as happy as you have." Brittany's voice cracked as she spoke, and her tears finally brimmed over to roll down her face. Jess reached out to wipe them away with her thumb, before realising it was a fruitless endeavour as tears began to make tracks down her own face. "And even though this really sucks, I'm still totally excited for you. Because this is going to be an amazing experience, and after all of your hard work…you really deserve it." The last part came out as more of a squeak, and Jess gave her a small smile.

"Thanks."

"I just want you to have a good time. Don't dwell on all this, just go and make the most of it, and have an amazing time. And eventually it'll get easier and we'll both move on and…it'll work out." Brittany shrugged, but her tone was not convincing.

"Brittany?" The blonde raised her gaze to meet Jess', "You know that you're always going to be the only one. Don't you?" She forced herself to stop crying for a moment, looking seriously at Brittany. She needed her to know that. "No matter where I go, or who I'm with, or what I'm doing…you're the only one. Always."

Brittany gave her a small nod, "Yeah. So are you. There's no one but you, and…meeting you and getting to know you and…everything else that's happened in the last year…It's just been perfect. You're perfect. To me." She wiped at her eye with a loud sniff, "And you are, by far, the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Jess nodded, "Yeah. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"It's just that…" Brittany shrugged, sniffing quietly and putting on a brave face, "Some happy endings just aren't meant to be."

Jess felt the wind get knocked out of her, and looked down to the floor, watching as a tear drop fell and splashed against the shiny lino beside her sneaker. Looking back up to the blonde, she took a deep breath and attempted to smile, "Or maybe this just isn't the end yet." She shrugged hopefully, and earned a small smile from Brittany.

The blonde gave a thoughtful nod, "Maybe."

Another announcement rang out, and both girls took a deep breath, steeling their nerves while Santana, Rachel and Quinn glanced at them nervously from the other side of the room.

"Okay. That's the final call." Brittany told Jess, who nodded.

"Yup. Yes it was." The girl agreed, gazing at the blonde, "Okay so…"

"Yeah." Brittany bit her lip, her tears welling up once again.

"Okay, I can't stand here any longer so I just have to say it." Jess sighed, shaking her head, "Brittany, I love you so much. This has been the best year of my life, and I will never, _ever _forget you. You will _always _be my only one, and I'm going to miss you so much." Her voice cracked as she spoke, but she forced herself to keep talking, despite the tears wetting her cheeks. Brittany gave her a small smile as she spoke, before pulling her into a tight hug.

"I love you too. You are just…the best person I've ever met." The blonde shrugged, pulling back to look into the girl's eyes, still holding her hands tightly, "Sorry to Rachel and Santana. But you are. I love you so much, but I know you need to do this. Just…give me a call if you're ever around or something. If you're ever back in New York." She bit down on her lip, wiping at her face, and her voice became a whisper, "You're the love of my life."

Jess resisted the urge to sob, rushing forwards to wrap her arms around Brittany's waist, clutching at the taller girl, who cradled Jess in her arms and kissed the top of her head. Eventually the brunette pulled away, lifting her hands to Brittany's face and pulling her in for a long kiss. She tried not to think about how this really _would _be the last time she kissed Brittany. A final boarding call rang out through the waiting area, and the woman beside the gate stepped forward to usher Jess along. The girl eventually pulled away, dropping her hand to Brittany's to give it a quick squeeze before reaching down for her bag. She swung it over her shoulder, leaned in to give the blonde one last peck and turned to the group at the far end of the room, who were slowly making their way towards them. She waved, grinning at her friends as she began stepping backwards, shouting out, "I love you all!" before disappearing through the door, and around the corner.

Santana reached the blonde first, wrapping an arm around the taller girl's shoulders as the rest of the group joined them. Rachel stood the other side of Brittany, lifting up her arm to duck under it, resting the blonde's arm across her own shoulders and resting her head on Brittany's shoulder, wrapping an arm around the girl's waist. Quinn stood behind and rested her head on Brittany's other shoulder, while Puck leaned over to place a gentle kiss on the top of the girl's head, and Sam stood beside Rachel as there was no other space around Brittany, offering her a reassuring smile and a shoulder pat.

They stood long enough to watch the plane careering down the runway and lifting into the sky. Brittany didn't know how long they stood there for after that. All she knew was that it didn't matter. It didn't matter at all. Because Jess was gone.

-ooOoo-

"Are you okay?" Santana smiled sympathetically, linking her fingers with Quinn's as they wandered down the street towards the apartment.

The blonde took a deep breath, "I think so. Honestly? I don't really know how to feel." She had an odd expression, and Santana frowned.

"What's up? Tell me about it." She raised her eyebrows expectantly.

"Um…well, half of me is…you know…heartbroken. Because, I mean, Jess is my best friend, you know? Apart from you, obviously. I just, I can't believe she's gone." She gave a sad shrug, and Santana nodded, wrapping her arm around the blonde's shoulders.

"I know." She replied in a melancholy voice, "Jess is awesome. It's going to suck not having her around. And it's going to suck even more watching Brittany suffer from not having her around."

"I know. At least I can skype Jess, or call or text her." Quinn shrugged, "She told me that she and Brittany have agreed not to stay in contact. They thought it would be too hard."

"I can understand that. Although it still won't be easy." Santana sighed, "So, you said half of you is heartbroken; what about the other half?"

"Well, actually." Quinn bit her lip in an attempt to stop the slowly spreading smile, "The other half of me has some news."

"You have my full and undivided attention." Santana prompted, and the blonde giggled.

"Okay, so you know I went to see that guy today? From the funeral?" The brunette nodded, and Quinn twisted her mouth to stop herself from grinning, "Well…he had some pretty interesting news, actually." Santana nodded again, "I can't really believe it yet, but…my Aunt Clara left everything to me. Well, almost everything. Some stuff went to my cousins and Sam and stuff, but…yeah, pretty much everything."

"Okay." Santana sounded surprised, nodding thoughtfully, "So…what does 'pretty much everything' consist of?"

"Pretty much everything." Quinn replied facetiously, and Santana growled exasperatedly. She giggled, "Sorry. Um, well…you know that obviously she invested in my business, and I was in the process of paying her off? Well, obviously I can't do_ that _now." She felt a painful ache in her chest, "So, in her will, she gave me that money back. But, she also gave me..." She swallowed, and Santana rolled her eyes impatiently, "Twenty thousand dollars."

"_Twenty thousand dollars?"_ Santana practically shouted, sounding incredulous. Quinn clasped a hand over her mouth quickly, glancing around them.

"Shhh! Jesus, do you _want_ us to get mugged?" She blonde finally released Santana's mouth, which was still hanging open.

"_Twenty thousand dollars?"_ Santana whispered disbelievingly.

"Yes." Quinn nodded, turning away from the brunette and taking the last few steps to their apartment building.

"Holy shit, Q." Santana's eyes were wide, and she shook her head as she followed the blonde into the foyer. "That's a lot of money."

"I know, right?" Quinn looked over her shoulder before shaking her head, "It's practically obscene that she even _had_ that much money, never mind that she gave it all to _me_."

"What are you going to spend it on?" Santana asked curiously as she followed the blonde up another flight of stairs.

"What do you think?" The blonde chuckled.

"…Sharpies?" Santana guessed, and Quinn stopped walking as she reached a landing, turning to face Santana, her eyes narrowed incredulously.

"_What?_"

"What's wrong?" Santana asked with a shrug, "That shit's expensive."

"Okay," The blonde shook her head, carrying on her way up the stairs, "Could you think of _anything _that is coming up in our lives that may require a large sum of money? Something big, that may get expensive?" She raised her eyebrows pointedly, but Santana shook her head.

"No, no way. We can't spend all of your money on the wedding." She disagreed, and Quinn frowned.

"Why not? It's barely even my money."

"But I'm not just going to let you pay for our entire wedding." Santana countered, gesticulating wildly.

"Well then don't think of it as me paying for it." Quinn shrugged as they reached the apartment. She pulled out her key, pushing it into the lock and twisting it so the door swung open, pausing before entering, "Think of it as my aunt paying for everything."

"That's just as bad." Santana scowled, following the blonde into the apartment and kicking off her shoes. Quinn raised an eyebrow, turning to halt Santana's progress across the room.

"But…it's what she would have wanted." She said, giving Santana her best puppy-dog eyes.

"Oh, don't give me that!" Santana scoffed.

"Well, I don't see what the problem is." Quinn shrugged, "Whether we have to save or not, I'm not getting married unless Jess can be my Maid of Honour. But wouldn't it be nice to not have to worry about spending? Instead of budgeting and scrimping and cutting back to afford it…we can just have our dream wedding."

Santana bit her lip, gazing around the room thoughtfully, "But, don't you want to spend the money on something more…permanent? You know, like if we wanted to buy an apartment or a house or something. Shouldn't we save it, or invest it? You know, for long-term and stuff? Be sensible?"

"Wow, putting a ring on it has really turned you into a nark." Quinn remarked flippantly, and Santana chuckled, "But, no. Actually I don't want to save or invest the money so we can buy our own house." Santana frowned as she surveyed Quinn's smug expression, "We don't need one."

The brunette sighed heavily. She was beginning to get a headache from Quinn's cryptic hints. She wandered off in the direction of the kitchen, "What are you talking about, Q?"

The blonde perched on the back of the sofa, swinging her legs childishly and tilting her head from side to side with a large grin, "Well…we don't need to save up for a deposit on a house." She twisted her mouth cheekily, "We already have one."

Santana stopped, turning around and sticking her head round the kitchen doorframe, "You're shitting me."

"I shit you not." Quinn widened her eyes excitedly for a second, her expression still smug and knowing.

"No fucking way." Santana moved to stand up straight in the doorway.

"Way." The blonde winked, and in a split second Santana was across the room, throwing herself at Quinn.

"Holy fucking shit!" She screamed happily as she careered into the blonde, knocking her backwards onto the sofa cushions with a loud 'ooph'.

"I mean, we don't have to move there straight away or anything." She shrugged happily, "But the whole thing is just sitting there, completely paid off. It's ours."

Santana wriggled so she was laid more comfortably beside Quinn, her legs hanging over the back of the sofa, "Oh my God. That is insane. We're grown-ups."

"I know. Weird, huh?" The blonde chuckled, "So there you go, if ever we want to move to the suburbs and settle down…we're good. One rule though."

"Go on?" Santana raised her eyebrows.

"I want the attic room."

Santana paused thoughtfully, turning her head to look at Quinn, who grinned back at her. She smiled contentedly, with a small chuckle, "Okay. Awesome."

-ooOoo-

"Okay, I've got them!" Rachel announced, waving various newspapers in the air as she kicked the apartment door shut behind her. "Blaine said they'd be in yesterday or today, and they're in today!"

Santana and Brittany were sat shoulder-to-shoulder on the sofa, both of their ankles crossed on the coffee table. In her excitement, Rachel ran at the sofa, placing one hand on the back and vaulting over it onto the cushions. Santana grimaced as the girl's sneakers made contact with the fabric of the sofa, then remembered that it wasn't hers, and stopped caring. The shorter brunette stretched her legs out, copying Brittany and Santana's stance so the three girls were sat identically, thrusting different newspapers into their hands.

"Come on, come on!" She hurried them along, and Santana rolled her eyes, opening the newspaper on top of the pile and beginning to flick through the pages, her eyes scanning the columns. Rachel followed suit in a slightly more frenzied manner, whilst Brittany gave a heavy sigh, picking up a paper reluctantly and sluggishly trawling through the pages.

"Okay, got one!" Santana announced, "It's super long, so I'm just going to read the part about you. Okay! 'There were certain touches that really got a great reaction from the audience, such as Rachel Berry's hilarious performance of Not Getting Married.' Woohoo!" Santana cheered as Rachel beamed, "One good review in the bag."

"Here's one." Brittany said with a small smile, "It says… 'Not only did Blaine Anderson give a stellar performance as the lead of Bobbie, but the supporting roles were also cast with incredible precision. Rachel Berry outshone many of the cast in her role of Amy.'"

"Wow." Santana added sarcastically, grimacing, "You might wanna wear something stab-proof next time you go to work."

"Whatever." Rachel shrugged, giggling happily, "Find me another one."

"Okay, I'll go." Santana waved her newspaper in the air before bringing it close to her chest so she could read the print, "Oh no, wait. Never mind. You don't want to hear this one." She frowned, twisting her mouth awkwardly as she scanned the words, "Yeah, never mind."

"Okay, if it's bad, I don't want to know." Rachel told them, staring at each girl individually. "Just, any bad ones…put over there. We'll have two piles." She grinned brightly, plucking the newspaper from Santana's hands and dropping it onto the coffee table with a loud smack.

They continued reading through the reviews and depositing them on one of the two piles until they had worked through all of the reviews. Much to Rachel's delight, the pile of good reviews was much heftier than the pile of bad reviews, which contained only three newspapers. Santana head read the bad reviews with a disgusted expression before scoffing and discrediting the competence of the critics. Halfway through the process, Brittany had finally given in, and dragged herself to the fridge, returning with three cap-less bottles of beer.

Santana had held out a hand absent-mindedly to accept hers, but the blonde had just stared at her with a look of confusion before holding a bottle in each hand and placing the third between her legs, taking a swig from each of them in turn. Rachel had rolled her eyes before nudging Santana off the sofa to go get another two bottles for the two of them.

"So there you go." Santana gestured to the two piles with one hand as she took a swig of her drink with the other, "Congratulations, Rach. As much as it pains me to say, the numbers don't lie. You're actually good at something."

"Thanks, San." The small girl grinned happily, as Brittany took another large glug of her drink.

They sat in silence for a moment, their ankles crossed on the coffee table, each cradling a bottle in their right hands. Brittany took a deep breath, letting out a long sigh.

"Hey, Rachel?" She caught their attention, staring into space.

"Yeah, Britts?" The girl raised her eyebrows, sitting forwards to look to the blonde, who did not move.

"You know you were supposed to move out into Quinn's place until you and Sam can afford somewhere of your own?" She asked blankly, and Rachel exchanged a worried glance with Santana.

"Yeah." The small brunette nodded.

"Do you mind staying here instead? Until you and Sam can afford somewhere?" She asked, still gazing dreamily into the middle-distance, "Or, you know, you lived here first. Maybe Sam could just move in here. And I'll move in to Quinn's apartment." She shrugged, still not looking at the girls. Santana's frown was growing deeper. "Coz, you know…it seems stupid for me to live here in this big apartment when you and Sam want to move in together and I'm all alone anyway."

Her voice remained blank, her face emotionless, but Brittany's face felt wet before she even recognised that she was crying.

"Do you want a hug?" Santana asked casually, but the blonde shook her head.

"No. No, I'm good." She didn't bother to wipe her face. The tears were drying quickly in the hot living room anyway.

"You won't be alone for long, Britts." Rachel cooed helpfully, "And it'll get easier."

"Don't." Brittany shook her head, finally turning to the girl, "I know you're trying to help but…it's just too soon right now."

"We know, honey." Santana nodded sympathetically, "Don't worry about it."

"I just…I didn't really think it would end, you know?" Brittany shrugged, frowning strangely at Santana.

"Well, you heard what Jess said." Santana replied apologetically, "Maybe it's just not the end yet."

Brittany nodded, although she did not look convinced, "Yeah. Sure."

"Isn't it strange, to think of everything that's happened in the last year?" Rachel mused, resting her head on the back of the sofa like the other two girls, "Like, this time last year it was just the three of us. We didn't know Quinn, or J- or Sam, or Puck. How weird is that?"

"I know, right?" Santana chuckled, "If someone had said to the three of us, this time last year, that in a year's time one of us would be getting married, who would you have said? I'd have said Rachel, I think."

"Rachel." Brittany agreed with a nod.

"Me." Rachel nodded, taking a deep breath, "Wow, that's painful."

"I know. It's me." Santana took a swig of her beer, turning to Rachel smugly. "I beat you." She raised her eyebrows challengingly, and Rachel rolled her eyes. "I won." She added cheekily, pushing Rachel's buttons. "You suck."

"Very mature, Santana." Rachel shook her head, a small smile playing around her lips as she took a drink of her beer.

"Whatever. You're so bitter." Santana smirked, "Spinster."

"So much has changed in a year." Rachel swiftly changed the subject, but Brittany snorted.

"I dunno. I'm dancing, living in this apartment, with you," she looked to Rachel, "And I'm single. Not much has changed."

"Okay, Britts. I know you're bitter and all, but you didn't want comforting so I'm assuming you just want to be left to be bitter, am I right?" Santana raised her eyebrows, and Brittany nodded seriously, "Okay, no problem. Just wanted to check that we weren't supposed to be comforting you."

"Nope." Brittany shook her head, taking a large swig of her beer, "I don't want comforting."

"No problem." Santana smiled, passing her bottle into the other hand to give the blonde's leg a small pat. "You know what's crazy?" Santana continued thoughtfully.

"You?" Rachel guessed, and the other girl turned to give her a sarcastic sneer.

"Hilarious."

"Oh no wait, that's not crazy." Rachel added mock-seriously, "That's certifiably medically imbalanced. My mistake, continue."

"It's crazy that I've always thought of marriage as kind of like the prize. You know, the end." She shrugged casually, "It was like, dating was the game and finding someone who was actually willing to marry you was the win at the end."

"And I am as surprised as anyone that you found that person." Rachel nodded seriously.

"But actually," Santana continued, ignoring her, "It totally isn't. I always assumed that this was the end, but actually it's just…the beginning of something completely different. It's more like the middle."

"I suppose I know what you mean." Rachel agreed with a nod, "Broadway has been my dream for so long, that felt like my end goal. But, now that I'm actually _on Broadway_, it doesn't feel _at all _like the end."

"Well, there you go." Santana shrugged, turning her head to look first to Rachel, and then to Brittany. "Clearly, this isn't the end of anything."

* * *

><p><strong>Okay, so there it is. I genuinely cannot believe that after so many chapters, and reviews, and after writing it for SO long...that Sweetie Pie's Bakery is finally finished. One day I might write a (much shorter) spin-offepilogue type thing about Brittany and Jess, but at the moment I have other stories that I would like to write. My next one will be called The Dating Game I think, so you can check that out too :D**

**Just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to every single person that has read this and especially those who have reviewed it as well, it's always great to get feedback. So please feel free to review once more :D when I started writing this it was on a total whim, and I can't believe how successful it's been, so thank you to every single one of you.**

**Heather :D**


	59. Something Blue

**Hey everyone!**

**I just wanted to let you all know, in a same you aren't following me as an author but are following this story, that there is now an official sequel! It's called Something Blue and you may search for it or follow this link to read it: s/10555170/1/Something-Blue**

**Really hope you enjoy reading it as I'm LOVING writing about my gang of girls again! **

**Please let me know what you think!**

**Thank you!**


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